Lions report, late August 2023

Preseason Game 2: Jaguars 25, Lions 7.

Preseason Game 3: Lions 26, Panthers 17.

QB: As expected, the Lions sat QB Jared Goff and the rest of the key offensive players in the loss to the Jaguars and the win over the Panthers. So the spotlight was on QB Teddy Bridgewater in his Lions debut against Carolina, and he looked like a guy who had only had a few days of practice with his new team as the rust showed. QB Nate Sudfeld wasn’t much better, sailing another pass high over the middle for an easy pick. The Lions generated only 131 yards of total offense against the Jags. Can Bridgewater get up to speed quickly? He certainly looked much sharper against Carolina and has locked down the backup job. Sudfeld reportedly tore his ACL so he is headed to IR. Rookie QB Hendon Hooker will open the season on the NFI list. With Sudfeld out for the year, there could be a path now for Hooker to be activated later in the season to be the third quarterback. As for Goff, not much has happened this preseason to change anyone’s opinion on him. His stock is holding steady as he is not someone you want as a starter in fantasy, but if you pick your spots with him he can help you.

RB: The number 3 running back job remains up for grabs. The Jaguars game did not give us any clarity as RB Craig Reynolds, RB Jermar Jefferson, and RB Benny Snell all failed to make any splash plays. Undrafted rookie RB Mohamed Ibrahim didn’t play against the Jags and was waived/injured. Reynolds ran for 41 yards and a TD against Carolina and it would seem he has the inside track to that spot behind RB David Montgomery and RB Jahmyr Gibbs. The experts continue to love Gibbs as a fantasy star in the making. He will be an exciting player, but I think I actually prefer Montgomery at his ADP as a better value than Gibbs.

WR/TE: More bad news for WR Jameson Williams as he hurt his hamstring in practice which pretty much put an end to his preseason. It’s disappointing because the Lions wanted to give him a lot of playing time since he will be missing the first 6 regular season games. It’s getting tougher to make a case that he is worthy of even a late round flier in redraft leagues this year. The bottom of the depth chart at receiver is shaky. The wide receivers only caught 5 total passes (on 14 targets) against the Jaguars. WR Denzel Mims was waived, so he is out of the picture. Rookie WR Antoine Green made a splash play in Carolina with a 70 yard TD catch, which will help the 7^th round pick’s chances to make the team. The Lions could look at players cut by other teams to perhaps upgrade their own depth for the 5^th and maybe 6^th receiver spots. Don’t panic about TE Sam LaPorta’s absence from the preseason box scores. He was being held out as a healthy scratch, indicating he figures to be locked in as Detroit’s top tight end. He has been creeping up the fantasy rankings at tight end. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown had an ankle injury in practice but it wasn’t too serious. Draft him with confidence at his ADP. I like WR Kalif Raymond as a deep sleeper, as I just don’t see WR Josh Reynolds or WR Marvin Jones doing much.

K/DST: More consternation at kicker as it looks like PK Riley Patterson will win the job, but his performance in Carolina left something to be desired, missing an extra point and missing a 53 yard field goal short (hit the crossbar). He doesn’t have the strong leg for those 50+ yarders that get you bonus points in many fantasy scoring systems. I wouldn’t rule anything out between now and the season opener. Could the Lions cut both kickers in their initial cut to 53 and then add one as they tweak the bottom of the roster in the coming days? On defense, a problem from last year that carried over to this preseason is the inability to stop running quarterbacks. But the overall talent level looks pretty good as there will be some tough cuts this season, unlike in the past. In IDP formats, look for DE Aidan Hutchinson to put up good sack numbers. If you are looking for tackles from the linebacker position, go with LB Alex Anzalone. Rookie LB Jack Campbell may not start despite being a first round pick. At defensive back, rookie DB Brian Branch has exceeded expectations and should start and make some plays. S Kerby Joseph is a good bet for some interceptions. It looks like S Tracy Walker might be the odd man out of the starting unit.

Next up for the Lions will be the cut to 53 and then the regular season opener against the Chiefs.

End.