At long last, football season is officially underway. And as if to commemorate the occasion, 26 teams are kicking off their seasons on the first NFL Sunday of 2026.
Down in Motown, the Detroit Lions will host the New Orleans Saints for an NFC matchup at Ford Field, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.
The Lions are hungry to bounce back from their first missed postseason since 2022. The Saints, meanwhile, enter the year hoping to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Detroit is a seven-point home favorite with -340 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. New Orleans is a +270 underdog, with the game total set at O/U 49.5 points.
Let’s dive into the top player prop bets for Sunday’s clash between the Lions and the Saints.
Saints vs. Lions NFL Player Prop Bets
Jahmyr Gibbs 18+ Rush Attempts (-179)
This year’s consensus 1.01 for fantasy football should have ample opportunity to make his managers proud in Week 1. Star running back Jahmyr Gibbs is coming off another stellar campaign for the Lions in 2025, handling 243 carries for 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns.
“Sonic” enters 2026 with total command of Detroit’s running back room, following the departure of “Knuckles” (David Montgomery) and an injury to newly acquired backup Isiah Pacheco. Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors — the current RB2 and RB3 on the Lions’ depth chart — have a combined nine carries across their NFL careers.
The former Alabama star, 24, had three performances with 18 or more carries last year; with a much clearer runway in 2026, he looks poised to follow suit in Sunday’s season opener. The game script should favor the run as the Lions enter as heavy favorites against the lowly Saints, who allowed the NFL’s third-most rush attempts (517) in 2025.
Chris Olave 80+ Receiving Yards (+103)
The Saints’ late-season surge in 2025 coincided with an explosion from star receiver Chris Olave. The Ohio State product, 26, piled up 80-plus yards in each of his last three games of the season, including a season-high 148 yards in Week 16 against the Jets.
Olave finished his fourth NFL campaign ranked among the top eight wideouts in receptions (7th; 100), receiving yards (8th; 1,163), and touchdowns (T-8th; 9). He recorded at least 80 receiving yards in six of his last 11 contests. The former No. 11 pick has a strong chance to build on that momentum — and his budding chemistry with sophomore quarterback Tyler Shough — in Sunday’s season opener against the Lions.
While Detroit made strides to shore up its secondary over the offseason, it may take some time before the unit fully hits its stride. Last year, the Lions defense ranked 21st receiving yards (4027), 26th in receiving touchdowns (31), and 28th in yards per reception (11.8) and 20+ yard receptions (58). The door should be open for Olave to capitalize.
