Things are slow this time of year but we do have a look at the Lions 2021 schedule, plus some news and notes as the Lions have been working through their offseason program.

QB: So far so good with QB Jared Goff, but that is to be expected when we’re talking OTAs and minicamps. Obviously things with him and the Rams went south, so the Lions are going to try to build him back up. That will actually be a theme throughout the roster as the previous coaching staff seemed to enjoy tearing players down for whatever reason. But it is important for them to see what they have with Goff, and while the coaching staff sounds optimistic, I’m taking a wait and see approach. Goff will certainly rank quite low among quarterbacks in the fantasy rankings, but the Lions are allowing Goff to have input into the offense, as they want him to feel comfortable and play to his strengths.

RB: There was an interesting visitor at the OTAs in late May – free agent RB Todd Gurley. Remember, RB Kerryon Johnson was waived shortly after the draft, so maybe there is room for a veteran like Gurley for depth. Gurley went on to visit Baltimore, but remains on the market. I would not be surprised if the Lions signed him before training camp. If Gurley signs that could knock 7^th round rookie RB Jermar Jefferson down a peg. The coaches have also spoken about how much they love RB Jamaal Williams. Some websites that talk about pro football blew those comments out of proportion and speculated that Williams will be the lead back but that makes little sense. I’m not disputing how the coaches feel about Williams, but RB D’Andre Swift is an ascending talent who can be a dual threat, and most experts agree that fantasy players should target him.

WR/TE: A few roster notes at the tight end position from recent weeks if you are keeping track of the depth chart. TE Hunter Bryant was waived, cleared waivers, and reverted to the NFI list so he is out for the year. Not many details on his injury but staying healthy has been an ongoing thing with him. TE Josh Hill retired, so the Lions scrambled to find a new backup tight end, and they settled on TE Darren Fells, who was with the Lions once before. He is more of a blocker. TE TJ Hockenson still projects to be Goff’s favorite target and is just outside the top tier of tight ends. After the minicamps and OTAs, it appears the depth chart at receiver is shaping us as we expected, with WR Tyrell Williams at the top, followed by WR Breshad Perriman and rookie WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. Stay tuned though as that isn’t set in stone, and there is definitely nothing settled after that. One lesser known name getting some buzz is WR Victor Bolden. He has been a practice squad guy and perhaps he will push for a roster spot.

K/DST: Looking back at the draft, the fact that the Lions used two early picks on defensive linemen makes more sense now that we know they will be a base 3-4 defense. Their edge rushers will now be listed as outside linebackers, and the two rookie linemen should contribute on the interior of the 3-4. I’m thinking this defense might be starting to look a little better on paper than I would have thought, but they are a long way from being a defense that is relevant in fantasy leagues.

2021 Schedule:

Week 1 Sept. 12 vs. San Francisco 1:00

Week 2 (MON) Sept. 20 at Green Bay 8:15

Week 3 Sept. 26 vs. Baltimore 1:00

Week 4 Oct. 3 at Chicago 1:00

Week 5 Oct. 10 at Minnesota 1:00

Week 6 Oct. 17 vs. Cincinnati 1:00

Week 7 Oct. 24 at LA Rams 4:05

Week 8 Oct. 31 vs. Philadelphia 1:00

Week 9 Nov. 7 BYE

Week 10 Nov. 14 at Pittsburgh 1:00

Week 11 Nov. 21 at Cleveland 1:00

Week 12 (THU) Nov 25 vs. Chicago 12:30

Week 13 Dec. 5 vs. Minnesota 1:00

Week 14 Dec. 12 at Denver 4:05

Week 15 Dec. 19 vs. Arizona 1:00

Week 16 Dec. 26 at Atlanta 1:00

Week 17 Jan. 2 at Seattle 4:25

Week 18 Jan. 9 vs. Green Bay 1:00

Schedule thoughts: Very little national TV exposure, not a surprise given the low expectations. The first few games look pretty tough. Three division games in the first five weeks with all three on the road is interesting. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Denver figure to be the only games where weather could be a factor. The Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford matchup in week 7 will get some national hype.

I will be back next month with a training camp preview.

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