Lions vs Bengals Picks, Odds & Who’s Playing (Aug 13)

• The Lions and Bengals square off in NFL preseason action tonight
• Cincy will play many of their starters including Joe Burrow, while Detroit will rest their number ones
• Keep reading for the Lions vs Bengals picks, odds and who’s playing on Aug 13, below

Week 1 of the NFL Preseason kicks off tonight with five games, including the Lions visiting the Bengals. Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm, with online sportsbooks pegging Cincinnati as a healthy favorite. The Bengals are currently laying 7 points at home, in large part due to the players they will be dressing, and the players the Lions won’t.

Below, you’ll find my favorite Lions vs Bengals picks, along with the latest odds and a breakdown of who’s playing on Aug 13.

Lions vs Bengals Odds

Odds as of August 13, 2026. Claim your Caesars Sportsbook promo code now to get involved in NFL Preseason action.

As of Thursday afternoon, the NFL odds at commercial sportsbooks show Cincinnati as a -250 moneyline favorite, with Detroit coming back as a +205 underdog. Total-wise, the number sits at 37.5, but with the juice heavily shaded towards the over, we could see that number climb before kickoff.

If you have prediction markets available to bet at, I suggest you use them. Kalshi is trading the Bengals -6.5 at 52-cents (-108), and I’d rather lay that number than the full 7 points at a similar price. Don’t forget to use the Kalshi promo code to score a bonus to bet on tonight’s contest.

Lions vs Bengals Who’s Playing

The big story ahead of tonight’s contest is the fact that Zac Taylor is opting to play his starters. Cincinnati has fallen short of its NFL win totals in three consecutive seasons, and Taylor can not afford another slow start. As a result, it’s all hands on deck from an offensive standpoint. NFL MVP odds sleeper Joe Burrow, as well as Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown will see playing time, although its unclear how much.

Last year, Burrow and his top skill position players played multiple series in the first preseason game, scoring two touchdowns. A repeat performance is definitely in the range of outcomes tonight, especially against a cast of Lions backups.

As for Detroit, Dan Campbell isn’t allowing any of his starters to dress, and went as far as saying Jared Goff wouldn’t play even if the Lions didn’t have a backup. That’s nearly the case heading into tonight, as projected number two QB Teddy Bridgewater recently retired, leaving only undrafted Luke Altmyer and journeyman Josh Dobbs behind Goff.

One promising player who will dress for Detroit is 17th overall pick Blake Miller. The tackle has drawn rave reviews so far this summer, and will need to shine to give the Lions QB’s any hope of succeeding.

Lions vs Bengals Picks

• Bengals -6.5 (52¢ at Kalshi)

Not only does Cincinnati have a massive advantage in the early going with their starters on the field, but they should be able to put up points even when Burrow and Co. depart. Super Bowl winning QB Joe Burrow is number two on the Bengals depth chart, followed by Josh Johnson. That’s a ton of veteran leadership to be under center in the later stages of a preseason game, and more than enough talent to march Cincy up and down the field.

As for Detroit, Dobbs just arrived in the Motor City and is still learning the playbook. That means Altmyer is scheduled to see the majority of the snaps, and that should’t give Lions backers much confidence. Altmyer is an undersized prospect, working with below average traits. To make matters worse, the Bengals will be debuting some of their newly acquired defensive talent.

That includes former Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence and Jonathan Allen, who are both capable of caving in the pocket and pushing the rookie off his spot. Cincy is hoping the additions will help make them a contender again in the Super Bowl odds, and they should definitely help a unit that ranked 28th in defensive success rate in 2025.

I’ll happily lay 6.5 points with the Bengals tonight, as I’m getting a starting offense rich with explosive talent, plus the greater depth at quarterback. That’s a position sharp money is gravitating towards per the NFL public betting trends, as Cincinnati is garnering 76% of the spread handle at the time of writing, on only 34% of the ATS tickets.