2022 Team Previews: Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions Fantasy Preview 2022
All ADP data is courtesy of Fantasy Pros.
** = target in drafts at this ADP
Top 120
**D’Andre Swift, RB (ADP: 14): We draft players like Swift in the top half of Round 1. He is the exact type of player fantasy managers crave, because he has a clear lead role of his backfield, can run the ball efficiently, is one of the best pass-catchers at the position, and lacks real threats to his job security. There have been two main issues preventing Swift from hitting his ceiling thus far: injuries, and a terrible offense. Swift has only played in 13 games in each of his first two seasons, so that’s got to get better. The second issue looks like it’s on its way to improving though. Detroit has quietly cobbled together a competent receiving corps that will get a big boost whenever rookie Jameson Williams is ready to join the fray, and they’ve spent capital – draft and regular currency – beefing up the offensive line. Swift’s skill set is similar to Alvin Kamara, Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffery, he just hasn’t spiked to their levels yet. But he can, and he’s also already shown a nose for the end zone, striking for 17 total touchdowns in his first two seasons. We will be drafting Swift in Round 1 next year.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR (ADP: 62): Last season, St. Brown was the embodiment of opportunity trumping draft capital or obvious talent. That doesn’t mean he’s not talented; it just means that it’s rare for fantasy managers to take note of fourth-round WRs joining teams that are expected to battle for the No. 1 pick in the preseason. But we did notice St. Brown ahead of drafts, because he was walking into a situation in which all the receiving options except for the TE were horrible. He’d produced at USC, performed well in training camp and took full advantage of his opportunity, blooming later in the season into a WR1. No, he didn’t finish as a WR1, but from Weeks 12-17 St. Brown saw double-digit targets in every game, averaged 93.3 yards and scored a touchdown in five of the six tilts. He caught at least eight passes in all of those games. St. Brown was a dominant player for that stretch, and he opens this year still as Detroit’s WR1. Yes, Detroit drafted Jameson Williams, but he’s currently on the PUP after tearing his ACL in the College Football National Championship Game, and it’s unclear when he’ll play this season, if at all. PFF loved his work, ranking him 16th in the league, but we shouldn’t get too crazy with our hype. St. Brown actually struggled mightily against man, and especially when pressed, so he’s pretty much a slot receiver extraordinaire. There’s nothing wrong with that type of player, and they can be very useful for fantasy teams, but it does mean that he’s very unlikely to build on top of his close to the 2021 season and blossom into a superstar. He is what he is, and we saw his peak last year. St. Brown should serve as a quality WR2 this year, and this ADP reflects that.
T.J. Hockenson, TE (ADP: 68): Hockenson was supposed to become an elite TE last year based on the fact that Detroit pretty much didn’t have other pass-catchers worth a damn on the team. He came out of the gates hot, with two eight-catch games in which he scored a touchdown in each of them. He didn’t score again until Week 11, and endured a three game stretch of four or fewer catches. He graded as PFF’s No. 22 TE, and it may simply be that he’s merely a good TE and won’t develop into a great one. That’s okay, because he’s currently the sixth TE off the board, so his price isn’t exorbitant and isn’t likely to balloon much more as Draft Day approaches. He’s fine here, but if you wait longer there are options later that will not be significantly worse than him.
Fantasy Relevant (121-200 ADP)
**D.J. Chark, WR (ADP: 160): Remember when Chark was one of the hottest names in fantasy? He’s an afterthought now, just two years removed from a 1,008-yard, eight touchdown season in Jacksonville. I don’t know that Chark will return to glory on this team with Jared Goff at QB, but it’s worth noting he’s never really had an actual good QB before. Last season prior to his injury he still showed big play chops, averaging 22 yards per catch and scoring twice in four games. I think he’s a fine gamble at this late ADP, because he can make more week-winning plays than others in this range, and the depth chart is not a difficult one for him to be near the top of.
Jamaal Williams, RB (ADP: 168): Williams’s role in life seems to be to frustrate fantasy managers by eating into the snap rates of RBs we like more. He’ll probably continue to do so this year, but to a lesser extent as Swift continues to prove how special he is. Williams is an obvious handcuff to Swift, and can do a lot of the same things (just not nearly as well) so he makes sense to draft along with Swift based on the latter’s injury history. Unlike players such as Tony Pollard or Alexander Mattison, though, Jamaal Williams is very much a stopgap even if he got the top role. This ADP seems high for that level of handcuff, so wait on it as long as possible, and if someone snipes you so be it. You’re not going to miss out on anything special.
Jameson Williams, WR (ADP: 173): Jameson Williams is a weird player to discuss because he basically has zero value for redraft leagues on Draft Day. He’s a burner, so a torn ACL in January is not a good look for rookie year production. He’s also probably the best WR in this year’s draft, so if he does return ahead of schedule, he will be relevant. Williams’ college profile is also strange, because he only has one year of major production. He spent two seasons at Ohio State failing to get on the field, blocked by Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who both were first round picks in this draft. He transferred to Alabama, and detonated for 1,572 yards, 15 touchdowns and 19.9 yards per catch. He’s a big play machine, and he complements St. Brown’s zone beating out of the slot perfectly. He’s the 64th WR off the board, so it’s not going to choke your roster to take a chance and stash him, but I’m rarely in favor of drafting players that we know will miss real time in season. Too much happens and too many players get injured requiring fantasy managers to have as much room on their rosters as possible. Williams creates a logjam, and we also have no idea how ready for the NFL game he’ll be once he’s healthy. In keeper leagues, this ADP makes more sense, and I adore him as a dynasty value choice.
Sleeper Class (200 & later)
Jared Goff, QB (ADP: 206): Goff is an easy one to evaluate. If you’re in a one-QB league, you’re not interested. In a SuperFlex league, desperately try to do better. If it’s a two-QB league, Goff’s gotta get drafted, and he’s startable as your QB2. But seriously, he’s much better as your QB3.
Justin Jackson, RB (ADP: N/A): Jackson is a very interesting addition to this backfield. His ADP suggests no respect, but this is a player who averages 4.8 yards per carry and has flashed real ability when given a chance with the Chargers. In the one game Austin Ekeler missed, Jackson went off for 64 rushing yards, two rushing TDs, and eight catches for 98 yards. Injuries have always been problematic for him, but he actually can give the Lions closer to what Swift provides than Jamaal Williams can because he’s superior athletically. You don’t need to draft him, but in the event Swift gets hurt, I might let my leaguemates fight over Williams and sneakily take a chance on Jackson. Williams might get the nod, but he’s not special. Jackson could eventually usurp him and actually make a difference.
Quintez Cephus, WR (ADP: N/A): Cephus got hurt last season fairly early and has obviously fallen off radars, but he had a little buzz to him after averaging 17.5 yards per catch as a rookie. He almost definitely will remain waiver wire flotsam this year, especially with Jared Goff at the helm and St. Brown and Hockenson as the clear-cut benefactors of Goff’s limited supply of fantasy value. But hey, every team needs a deep threat and Cephus is battling with Chark for that role. I like Chark more, but it’s not impossible for Cephus to impress and provide a little deep league or spot start value.