Vikings vs. Lions Prediction, Spread, Week 8 NFL Picks

In NFL Week 8, the Minnesota Vikings (6-0) will hit the road to take on the Detroit Lions (4-2) at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, November 1. The Lions come in as 3.5-point home favorites, per PrizePicks.

The Vikings enter as the last undefeated team standing, yet it doesn’t necessarily feel that way. While the defense is elite, the offense continues to sputter as one of the NFL’s worst attacks. Minnesota’s last four wins have all come against teams with losing records.

Meanwhile, the Lions have the opposite problem, regularly finding themselves in shootouts behind a great offense and a poor defense. However, the D held it together in Week 7, helping Detroit to a 20-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers.

With the NFC North still very much up for grabs, which team gets the win on Sunday?

Below, we’ll break down our Vikings vs. Lions prediction and picks for NFL Week 8, including the spread, over/under, and top player picks for PrizePicks.

Make your Vikings vs. Lions prediction and picks on PrizePicks now!

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Vikings vs. Lions Prediction, Spread, Over/Under for Week 8 – Sunday, November 1

The Lions enter Sunday’s game as 3.5-point home favorites against the Vikings, returning a 1.51x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks — or an estimated $151 on a $100 entry.

Here are the full payouts for the Vikings vs. Lions game on PrizePicks. 

PrizePicks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change. 

Make your Vikings vs. Lions prediction on the spread, over/under, and more on PrizePicks!

Despite being undefeated, Minnesota’s offense is 29th in yards per game (281.7), and the middling play of QB Kyler Murray has been a big reason why. Murray ranks 23rd in adjusted yards per attempt (6.3), and he’s 28th in adjusted EPA/play (-0.019), per RBSDM. 

In Week 7’s 16-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, the Vikings QB completed 14 of 24 passes for 150 yards and 1 TD while adding 39 rushing yards on 5 carries. The team managed only 275 yards of total offense.

Murray has thrown 3 TDs all season, whereas backup QB Carson Wentz accomplished that feat in Week 1 when he came in during relief of an injured Murray and tossed 3 TDs against the Packers.

The Vikings scored a season-high 39 points in that game, which is the only time they’ve exceeded 23 points this year.

Of course, the reason Minnesota has been able to withstand this modest offensive production is because of its stellar defense. The Vikings’ D is first in PPG (12.3) and second in YPG (252.8). It's allowed a league-low 1.2 TDs per game and has held five consecutive opponents to 16 points or fewer.

Perhaps that defense will be tested against a Lions attack that’s second in both PPG (30.7) and YPG (397.3). 

Detroit was held to a season-low 20 points against Green Bay due in part to a pair of lost fumbles, but it still racked up 415 total yards.

All the usual suspects put up big numbers, with QB Jared Goff throwing for 303 yards and 2 TDs, RB Jahmyr Gibbs racking up 143 scrimmage yards, and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown hauling in 153 receiving yards.

While the Lions’ defense benefited from two missed field goals, holding an opponent to 17 points is promising for a unit that’s otherwise struggled. For the year, Detroit has given up the seventh-most PPG (27.5) and most YPG (391.0).

Vikings vs. Lions Prediction on Spread – 11/1/26

Here are the key stats and trends behind our Vikings vs. Lions pick against the spread for Sunday, November 1.

• The Vikings’ defense is first by a wide margin in both EPA/play allowed (-0.220) and success rate (33.8%). The next team is the Seattle Seahawks at -0.118 and 36.5%, respectively.
• Minnesota’s D entered the week tied for the league lead in sacks (21). That’s backed by ranking first in pressure rate (47.6%), per Sharp Football Analysis, and first in ESPN’s pass rush win rate (65%). 
• The Vikings lead the NFL in turnover differential (+7), with 11 takeaways compared to just 4 giveaways. 
• Despite the Lions’ solid showing on defense last week, they still sit dead last in EPA/play allowed (0.149).
• While Detroit’s offense is third in EPA/play (0.144), Green Bay is the only defense it's faced that ranks inside the top half in EPA/play allowed. Three of the opponents have been ranked 26th or worse.
• That schedule perhaps explains why the Lions are a less imposing ninth in offensive DVOA despite their otherwise gaudy stats, per FTN.
• The Vikings are 3-0 against the spread in road games.
• Brian Flores’ defense held the Lions to 24 and 10 points across a pair of matchups in 2025-26. Minnesota won both games.

Make your Vikings vs. Lions picks on PrizePicks for Sunday’s NFL game.

Vikings vs. Lions Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 11/1/26

Here are the top Vikings vs. Lions picks to target on Sunday, November 1. Today’s NFL picks for PrizePicks include T.J. Hockenson and Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson vs. Lions: 40.5 Rec Yards

• Hockenson has a rock-solid 20.9% target share, according to SumerSports. That number jumps to 25.0% if you exclude his injury-shortened Week 5, per JJ Zachariason.
• The Lions’ defense is allowing by far the most receiving yards (100.3), receptions (9.3), and targets (12.2) per game to TEs, via Pro Football Reference. They’ve also given up a league-high 10 TDs to the position.
• Although it came in a game where WR Justin Jefferson was out, Hockenson caught 13 of 13 targets for 119 yards in Week 4 vs. the Miami Dolphins. Miami allows the fourth-most receiving YPG to TEs (74.7).
• Among TEs with at least 20 targets, Hockenson is fifth in yards per route run (1.98), according to PFF.
• Per PlayerProfiler, he’s logged a route participation rate above 65.0% in four of his five complete games.

Add T.J. Hockenson + Vikings to cover the spread to your PrizePicks lineup now.

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Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Vikings: 9.5 Rec Targets

• St. Brown has the fifth-highest target share (31.1%) among NFL wideouts. 
• The star WR has logged 11, 11, 11, 8, 13, and 14 targets this year. He’s tallied the league’s seventh-most total targets (68) despite the Lions already having their bye week.
• St. Brown has a 90.8% route participation rate, a 39.1% first-read target share, and a 34.8% red-zone target share.
• Detroit ranks ninth in pass rate over expected, which has contributed to Goff averaging the ninth-most pass attempts per game (37.2).
• The Lions’ offense also plays at the fifth-fastest neutral pace, producing the fifth-most plays per game (66.3). 

Add Amon-Ra St. Brown + Lions to win to your PrizePicks lineup now.

Make Vikings vs. Lions Week 8 Picks on PrizePicks

The Vikings are the lone undefeated team left, but they could face a stiff challenge on the road against the Lions. Which team wins this NFC North battle?

Don't wait until kickoff — make your Vikings vs. Lions picks on PrizePicks now for Week 8 and earn real money if you're right.

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