NFL Week 8 Betting Report: Is Lamar Back? Bettors Still Backing Bills, The Over

The marquee matchup in NFL Week 8 odds is Ravens vs. Bills — but only if Lamar Jackson returns from an ankle injury, one that has caused him to miss three games. Based on the point spread — Buffalo is a 3-point home favorite midweek — oddsmakers believe Jackson is a go for Sunday’s AFC showdown. “That’s the expectation,” Caesars Sports head of football trading Joey Feazel said. “We are at Bills -3, and the line would’ve been north of Bills -7 if Jackson wasn’t playing. Probably a strong 7.5.” More on that matchup, along with the unbeaten Vikings vs. the Lions on FOX, and a sharp play on a key AFC North clash, as we dive into NFL Week 8 betting nuggets. This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports. The Bills are 5-1 straight up (SU) and 4-2 against the spread (ATS) while coming off their bye week. The Ravens are 4-3 SU/2-5 ATS, losing two in a row, including a 35-13 Week 7 wipeout at home vs. the Bengals, despite leading 13-0 at halftime. Jackson’s return should shore up Baltimore’s woes on offense. Caesars Sports opened the Bills -3.5, and the line dipped to -3 (-121) on Tuesday night, which is where it remained Wednesday evening. “Jackson returning was already baked into that line,” Feazel said. “But we’re seeing much more Bills action, even with Lamar back. It’s all one-way traffic here, Bills and Over, and I don’t expect that to change.” The total is up to 54 from a 52.5 opener. Keep in mind that last season, these two teams met in the Week 1 Sunday night game. The Bills won a wild shootout 41-40, as the game smashed through the 51.5 total. There’s already sharp play on Over 52.5 and 53.5. And the public betting masses are sure to weigh in on the Over ahead of Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff. “I don’t think we’ll see much interest in the Under from the public,” Feazel said. FOX has a key NFC North contest Sunday, when the Vikings (6-0 SU/5-1 ATS) visit the Lions (4-2 SU/1-4-1 ATS) at 1 p.m. ET. Minnesota is the last unbeaten team in the league, which was on no one’s bingo card. Detroit opened as a 3-point favorite at Caesars and advanced to -3.5 multiple times early in the week. On Wednesday evening, the Lions were -3.5 (even). “The Vikings are somehow undefeated. But I don’t think they’ve convinced the public that they are a dominant team,” Feazel said. “We’re seeing mostly Lions action, and I don’t anticipate that changing.” Professional bettor Randy McKay is already involved with Browns vs. Steelers, another 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday. Surprisingly, Cleveland is 5-2 SU and ATS, mirroring Pittsburgh’s record as the two teams battle for first place in the AFC North. McKay is on the Browns +3.5. Pittsburgh is at home but had the long trip to Paris in Week 7, where they posted a 16-10 win over New Orleans. “Teams playing the next week after an international game are 0-8 ATS and 1-7 SU,” McKay said, citing the recent trend for such teams. “Plus, not much has changed since the first meeting this season, which Cleveland won. I’m expecting a close game, so I favor taking the points.” In Week 4, the Browns were 2.5-point home underdogs and beat the Steelers 27-24 on Andre Szmyt’s 56-yard field goal with 10 seconds left. The Chiefs (5-1 SU/3-3 ATS) suffered their first setback last week, falling at Seattle 20-3 as 3-point underdogs. That’s had an effect on early bettors for Kansas City’s trip to Denver to face the Broncos (5-2 SU and ATS). And that’s despite K.C. dominating Denver in a 31-10 Week 1 home victory. In NFL Week 8 odds, the Chiefs opened -1.5, dipped to -1 a couple of times and was at -1.5 on Wednesday evening. “The Chiefs were a public ‘dog last week and got a lot of action. And they weren’t able to get bettors to the pay window,” Feazel said. “On the side [this week], it’s been mostly Broncos money. And that’s how it’s been week in and week out this season.” It’s worth noting that the Broncos have had a fair degree of luck while going 5-1 SU and ATS since losing at K.C. However, as Feazel said: “They still end up winning games and covering.” All that noted, Feazel said he anticipates more Chiefs betting as the 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday kickoff approaches. “It’ll be more two-way action,” Feazel said, while also noting the total dipped from 41.5 to 40.5. “There was a little sharper action on Under 41.5.” NFL Week 8 odds kick off Thursday with the Panthers (3-3 SU and ATS) visiting the Packers (4-3 SU and ATS), at 8:15 p.m. ET. Both are coming off losses: Green Bay fell 20-17 at Detroit but covered as a 3.5-point underdog, while Carolina got smoked by Tampa Bay 43-13 as a 3-point home favorite. Caesars opened the Packers as 3.5-point home favorites and got to Pack -4.5 Sunday night. But Green Bay then backed up and has been at -3.5 (-117) since Monday morning. “We saw some sharp action on the Panthers at +4.5 and +4,” Feazel said. “But overall, we’re seeing more Packers action, and I don’t expect that to change. And that’s coupled with the Over. “We’re likely gonna need the Panthers to win outright, in a lower-scoring affair. A lot of people will have Packers moneyline in their parlays.” The Bears (5-2 SU and ATS) are rolling again behind Caleb Williams. Entering the Week 8 Monday night game vs. the Seahawks, Chicago is on a 4-1 SU and ATS upswing. Seattle ended a two-game skid by stuffing Kansas City 20-3 as a 3-point home favorite in the Week 7 Sunday night game. Caesars, in turn, opened the Seahawks -3 at home vs. the Bears, and on Wednesday night, it was Seahawks -3 (-117). “It’s possible we could see this line touch 3.5. But the Bears are attracting some attention, with Caleb Williams looking good,” Feazel said. “We’re seeing two-way action on the spread and the total. “I would assume this is a scenario where Bears bettors come in on the moneyline, and Seahawks bettors are on the spread. So our best case would be Seattle by one or two points.”