Thursday Night Football Picks: Chargers vs. Vikings Odds and Best Bets

Its time for Thursday Night Football! Mike Barner shares his play on Justin Herbert and more tonight as the Chargers host the Vikings
Thursday Night Football Picks: Chargers vs. Vikings Odds and Best Bets
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Chargers vs. Vikings Betting Odds, Picks and Predictions for Thursday Night Football

Thursday Night Football brings a matchup between the Chargers and Vikings in Week 8. Both teams are coming off a loss in Week 7, so they will be trying to avoid a losing streak. Let's dig into the matchup and highlight three wagers to consider.

Mike Barner's season record: 22-17 (+1.06 units)

Chargers vs. Vikings Betting Odds

Chargers: Spread -3 (-120), -175 Moneyline (DraftKings)
Vikings: Spread +3 (+100), +150 Moneyline (BetMGM)
Game Total: 44.5 points (DraftKings)

Aaron Jones Sr. (hamstring) is listed as questionable after sitting out the last four games. The Chargers will be without Hassan Haskins (hamstring), further depleting their already limited backfield.

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Chargers vs. Vikings Betting Picks

Jordan Addison 50+ receiving yards (-137 DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit

Addison was busy against the Eagles last week with a season-high 12 targets. He turned them into nine receptions for 128 yards. A suspension has limited him to just three games this season, but he has finished with at least 114 receiving yards twice. In the one that he didn't, he was benched early in the game for disciplinary reasons. Even with that game in the fold, Addison already has 26 targets for the season.

Addison remains an excellent deep threat as recorded an average depth of target of 13.0 yards last season and 13.2 yards early in 2025. The Chargers aren't the easiest of matchups, but with Addison's hefty workload and ability to haul in deep throws, this wager is still appealing.

Justin Herbert over 34.5 pass attempts (-132 FanDuel Sportsbook) for 1 Unit

With the Chargers facing a big deficit early in their Week 7 matchup with the Colts, their offense was forced to lean on their passing attack to try and catch up. That resulted in Herbert attempting a whopping 55 passes. Though the rally came up short, he threw for 420 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Chargers are severely limited at running back with Haskins, Omarion Hampton (ankle) and Najee Harris (Achilles) all out. They have thrown the ball a lot because of their circumstances in the backfield, which has left Herbert to record at least 38 pass attempts in four of his last five games. The Vikings have allowed the 10th-most yards per pass attempt in the league, so look for Herbert to throw early and often in this matchup.

Jordan Mason anytime touchdown (+120 FanDuel Sportsbook) for 1 Unit

Since Jones went down with his injury, Mason has recorded at least one touchdown in three of four games. The Vikings like to give him work as they get in close, which has left him to total 11 rushing attempts inside the red zone over that four-game span. He even had five carries inside the five-yard line.

Even if Jones returns for this game, Mason should remain in a significant role. When he was on the field to begin the season, Jones was not given a single red zone carry over two games. In his first season with the Vikings last year, he had just five rushing touchdowns over 17 games. Mason should continue to get work when the Vikings get in close, which is key for this matchup because the Chargers have allowed the second-most rushing touchdowns in the league.

Chargers vs. Vikings Prediction

Both of these teams have weapons at wide receiver, which could lead to a high-scoring game. Wentz isn't exactly a downgrade from McCarthy, even if he has been somewhat inconsistent. This could be a game that comes down to the final seconds, but give the edge to the home team on a short week.

Chargers 24, Vikings 20

NFL Best Bets Recap

  • Jordan Addison 50+ receiving yards (-137 DraftKings Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
  • Justin Herbert over 34.5 pass attempts (-132 FanDuel Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
  • Jordan Mason anytime touchdown (+120 FanDuel Sportsbook) for 1 Unit
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
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