Lions win total prediction 2023: Picking Detroit’s win total

The Lions had an impressive 2022 season with plenty to be optimistic about. Their draft selections certainly raised some eyebrows with an offensive focus that saw them grab RB Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round, which made a lot more sense after they announced that D’Andre Swift would be getting traded. They lost a running weapon in Jamaal Williams this offseason, too, which makes the Gibbs pickup even more meaningful.

The Lions’ 2022 was oft-interrupted by injury troubles, so the biggest issue this year is staying healthy and having depth to take on injuries. If you look at the odds, though, things are looking up — they are tied with the Vikings on the over/under numbers.

With Jared Goff at the helm, Dan Campbell’s Detroit team will look to build on last season’s successes and repair some of the shortcomings. This should be an exciting year for the franchise.

We’ll take a look at the latest DraftKings Sportsbook lines and predict if the Detroit Lions can beat their 2023 win total. The odds below are as of May 2.

NFC North win totals

Detroit Lions: 9.5 (Over -150, Under +130)
Minnesota Vikings: 8.5 (Over -120, Under +100)
Green Bay Packers: 7.5 (Over +130, Under -150)
Chicago Bears: 7.5 (Over -135, Under +110)

Notable offseason moves

• Signed RB David Montgomery
• Signed CB Mac McCain, CB Cameron Sutton, CB Emmanuel Moseley
• Signed WR Marvin Jones
• Re-signed EDGE John Cominsky, DT Isaiah Buggs, DB C.J. Moore
• Lost RB Jamaal Williams, CB Mike Hughes, EDGE Austin Bryant, LB Chris Board, WR DJ Chark
• Traded RB D’Andre Swift

Detroit Lions prediction: Over 9.5

It feels like it’s going to be the Lions’ year. Though they lost Chark, Williams, and Swift, they have plenty of excellent receivers and some new faces in the running back depth chart, including Montgomery. They went 9-8 in 2022-23, and I think that their upward movement will push them to that 10th win and maybe even above in the coming season — given, of course, that they are able to stay healthy and use their rookies well. They had a major need at cornerback and signed several guys at that position this offseason.

What moves might change our prediction?

Any injuries to a major running back or wide receiver would immediately raise some red flags here, but they appear to be willing to invest a bit more into their defensive presence this year, which will make a difference.