Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Geno Smith (@Det) – Don’t give up on Geno Smith just yet. Smith and the entire Seattle Seahawks offense had a forgettable game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Smith threw for only 112 yards on the day and 1 touchdown. I don’t expect similar numbers when Seattle visits the Lions in week 2. In 2022, Smith torched the Lions for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns when the Seahawks won in a 48-45 shootout. Expect him to bounce back this week.

Sit ‘Em

Jimmy Garoppolo (@Buf) – Garoppolo is in for a tough afternoon when the Las Vegas Raiders visit the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Buffalo will be looking to put its miserable loss against the Jets behind them and will take out their frustrations on the Raiders. Garoppolo was efficient in the week 1 win against the Broncos but did have 1 interception and 1 fumble. I see him throwing a pair of picks against Buffalo’s defense in week 2.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Jahmyr Gibbs (vs. Sea) – Gibbs averaged 6.7 yards per touch in his debut against the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a small sample size as he only had 9 touches in the game but he looked explosive. Expect the Lions to ramp up his usage this week and Gibbs will get his first NFL touchdown against Seattle.

Sit ‘Em

Alexander Mattison (@Phi) – Mattison underwhelmed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. He averaged just 3.1 yards per touch and if it wasn’t for a late receiving touchdown he would’ve been in the Dud category. Mattison will once again find yards hard to come by when the Vikings visit the Eagles. The Eagles have some concerns in their secondary but the front 7 is as good as it gets.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

George Pickens (vs. Cle) – Pickens was quiet in week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. He did have 7 targets on the day but was only able to turn that into 36 receptions yards. The Steelers will be without Diontae Johnson for several weeks which means it’s Pickens time to step up. I like the Steelers offense to bounce back this week and Pickens to find the end zone.

Sit ‘Em

Drake London (vs. GB) – London was one of the Duds of week 1 as he was completely shut out on Sunday. He only had 1 target which is concerning for the 2nd year pro expected to take the next step in his trajectory. He now faces a talented Packers secondary and will likely be shadowed by Jaire Alexander all game.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Dallas Goedert (vs. Min) – Goedert was also shut out on Sunday versus a stingy Patriots defense. Don’t panic with Goedert yet as he is still the #1 tight end on the dynamic Eagles offense. I expect Philadelphia to intentionally get Goedert more involved on Thursday night. The last time he faced the Vikings, Goedert had 82 receiving yards on 5 receptions.

Sit ‘Em

Dalton Schultz (vs. Ind) – Schultz was another tight end who disappointed in week 1. The Texans brought in Schultz to be their TE1 but he didn’t look the part on Sunday. He had just 4 receiving yards on 4 targets and wasn’t much of a factor in Houston’s offense. I am sitting Schultz until I see better production.

Start of the Week

Zay Flowers (@ Cin) – Flowers was somebody I was high on all offseason and is my pick for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He did not disappoint in his debut as he hauled in 9 receptions for 78 yards. More importantly, he had 10 targets and also received 2 carries in the backfield. Don’t worry about OBJ taking targets away from Flowers as he looks to be the WR1 for the Ravens going forward.

The post 2023-24 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Week 2 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Before the season started head coach Dan Campbell indicated that Gibbs would be eased into his role with the Lions. It’s a smart move on the Lions part so he doesn’t get too overwhelmed with the pro game. Fellow running back David Montgomery received a majority of the touches including a go-ahead rushing touchdown. While this was aggravating for Gibbs owners it’s important to be patient with him.

We all could see that Gibbs was the more explosive back and when you look at the stats, they back that up. Gibbs averaged 6.7 yards per touch including a game-high 18 yard run. In contrast, Montgomery averaged just 3.5 yards per touch and lacked explosiveness. We expected to see speed from Gibbs but he also had 6 broken tackles in the game.

Gibbs owners should stand pat as his usage will start to ramp up. It’s only a matter of time until he gets a majority of the touches. When that happens you can expect big-time results for your fantasy team.

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The Good

The 2022 NFL Draft featured two stud Defensive Ends, Travon Walker and Aidan Hutchinson. It was widely known that the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to take Walker with the 1st pick. With that meant Hutchinson would be on the board for Detroit and it was a perfect match. The Lions were in need of a elite pass rusher for their defense and drafting the local kid was a no brainier. Hutchinson exceeded all expectations in his rookie season and finished 2nd for the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Now, Hutchinson will look to take the next step by being the leader of the Lions defense.

When Jared Goff left the Los Angeles Rams many thought his good days were beyond him. Turns out that is not the case as Goff has revived his career in Detroit. Goff has thrived in OC Ben Johnson’s system and in 2022 was one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL. Big things are now expected from Goff in his third year with Detroit. I expect Goff to thrive again for the Lions and continue to impress in 2023.

The Bad

Last year, the Detroit Lions defense finished at the bottom of the league in most categories. For as good as the offense was the defense was pretty poor. They had a hard time stopping anybody and it put extra pressure on the Lions offense. Have the Lions done enough to address this weakness? In short no.

The Lions were able to acquire C.J. Gardner-Johnson who impressed with the Eagles but they lost CB Jeff Okudah. Emmanuel Mosley was supposed to help fill the void left by Okudah but he is currently injured with no timetable on a return. Fellow cornerback Cameron Sutton has shown flashes but will need to be more consistent for the Lions. I fear we could be talking about a below-average defense again next year for the Lions.

The Prediction

In my eyes, this is the year the Detroit Lions finally breakthrough and win the NFC North. The defense will still have its struggles but the offense will be even better than last year. Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs will make his mark in the backfield and Amon-Ra St. Brown will continue to ascend. Keep an eye on Dan Campbell AP Coach of the Year.

2023 Record: 11-6 (1st in the Division)

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Stats Don’t Lie

If you decided to take a chance and draft Jared Goff last season you were rewarded. Goff finished with 290.3 fantasy points and averaged 17.1 FP per game. He had an impressive 29 passing touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. This propelled Goff to finish 1st in touchdown/interception ratio at (4.14) in 2022. Goff was also only sacked 23 times last season which was just behind Tom Brady (22) for the least amount of sacks in 17 games played. What that shows is Goff is making quicker decisions in the pocket and throwing the ball away if needed.

When you look closer at Jared Goff’s 2022 advanced quarterback statistics it’s hard to not be impressed. For example, he was tied for 4th in passing attempts that traveled 50+ yards. Goff was not afraid to move the ball down the field and as we pointed out was smart about when to take shots in the pocket. Also, factor in that Goff had the 5th most drops by his receivers at 34. Even with the emergence of Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Lions receiving core was middle of the pack at best.

Jared Goff’s Fantasy Outlook for 2023

Now the big question is, can Goff build on an impressive 2022? The Detroit Lions were able to retain offensive coordinator Ben Johnson this past offseason. Johnson was a hot commodity on the market and rightfully so as the Lions finished 3rd in total yards (6,460). Goff should thrive again in Johnson’s system in 2023.

Detroit also made headlines this offseason when they traded running back D’Andre Swift to the Eagles. Alabama rookie Jahmyr Gibbs takes his place and will be an asset to Goff in the passing game. The Lions also brought back receiver Marvin Jones Jr. in free agency. Jones will help bolster this receiving core and take some of the pressure off St. Brown.

As it stands now Jared Goff has an ADP of #96 overall. To me, this is great value if you can draft Goff in this range. In our recently updated fantasy football rankings, I have Goff as QB9 and trending upward. If the Lions offense can take another step forward, I could see Goff finishing as high as QB6. He won’t quite crack the top 5 but will be awfully close and at this ADP that would be a huge steal.

The post Can Jared Goff be a Top 5 QB in Fantasy? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Before the start of the 2022-2023 season, D’Andre Swift was a running back many were targeting as a breakout candidate. He had just finished the previous season with 1,069 total scrimmage yards and 7 total touchdowns. Swift was primed to be the RB1 for the Lions and the only real concern was his health. Fast forward almost a year and it’s safe to say Swift was a bust. He is no longer in Detroit as he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. How does that impact D’Andre Swift dynasty shares going forward? Let’s take a closer look at how to value the former Georgia Bulldog.

2022

In consensus rankings, before the 2022 season D’Andre Swift had an ADP in the early second round range. Some even had him creeping into the late first round. If you drafted him that high it was a gamble that didn’t quite pay off. Despite a handful of top 3 weekly finishes, Swift was never able to put up points consistently. He finished the season with 167.1 FP (Half PPR) which was respectable but not the production we need in an early round pick.

Swift’s best game came in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. He totaled 175 scrimmage yards in the game, including this walk-in touchdown.

The rest of Swift’s season was filled with ups and downs including him missing 3 games due to an ankle injury. Health has always been a concern with D’Andre Swift and we can’t put the fears to rest until he plays a full season. Along with health, the emergence of Jamaal Williams cut into Swift’s 2022 value. Williams finished with an incredible 17 rushing touchdowns and was RB12 last season. No one saw this coming and it just goes to show that there are always variables we don’t account for in our predictions.

2023

D’Andre Swift is now with the Eagles and when you look at it, it’s a great situation for him. Detroit has gone all in on rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs which made Swift expendable. In Philadelphia, Swift is going to an already loaded offense that runs the RPO to perfection. Swift should thrive in his new home and will make the Eagles offense that much more dangerous.

D’Andre Swift’s Dynasty Value

Where do I rank D’Andre Swift’s dynasty value for next year? Currently, I have him as RB13 in our Dynasty Rankings. In comparison, KeepTradeCut has him currently as RB21. I am higher than the FantasyPros ECR currently and it’s because I really like the fit in Philadelphia. The only real concern is his health which is no surprise. D’Andre Swift is a BUY for me and if he can stay healthy watch out.

The post D’Andre Swift Dynasty Outlook Right Now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Alabama Crimson Tide, also known as the alpha team in college football, mopped the floor against the Utah State Aggies in Week 1 by a score of 55-0. It was clear that Utah State needed Herb Brooks to have a chance against the Nick Saban-led CFB team. With that said, I’m going to unwine 7 takeaways from Alabama’s Week 1 victory.

• Bryce Young (passing)

The Bama field general Bryce Young clearly had his wheaties on Saturday morning. He unleashed a whopping 5 passing touchdowns against Utah State. It was clearly a great start for his Heisman chances in 2022. There were only three occasions last season where he threw five touchdowns.

• Bryce Young (rushing)

The Bama QB flexed his ability to dazzle with his legs on Saturday – as he unveiled five rushing attempts for 100 rushing yards 1 rushing TD. Young has clocked a 4.4 time before – which compares well to RG3’s 40 time (4.41).

• Traeshon Holden

The stud wideout for Young was none other than Traeshon Holden, who ousted 70 yds and 2 TDs on Saturday. The 6’3 220 lb wideout registered 239 yds and 21 catches a season ago. With Jameson Williams in the NFL (with the Detroit Lions), Holden is expected to be a star WR for Saban.

• Jermaine Burton

Holden didn’t hog all of the fun at WR on Saturday – as Jermaine Burton hauled in a pair of touchdowns. Burton should plan to play in the NFL after his third season. He registered 497 yds in 2021 and 404 yards in 2020.

• Jahmyr Gibbs

The next 1,000+ yard RB in the Alabama offense should undoubtedly be Jahmyr Gibbs. He can flat out run. The junior half-back capped off 93 rushing yards on 9 attempts on Saturday. I don’t expect him to maintain a 10.3 YPC, but he should have a monster 2022 campaign.

• zero sacks

The Bama passing offense was blazing hot (without needing an ambulance), but they didn’t generate a ton of success in pressuring opposing QBs. The Bama defense ousted zero sacks. Although, they did nicely have four QB hurries. Furthermore, they had five tackels for loss.

• Jalen Milroe

The Bama QB2 Jalen Milroe saw playing time on Saturday and threw 1 touchdown, 1 interception, 76 passing yards, and an 80% completion percentage. It’s pivotal that the red-shirt freshman gains experience, especially when Young is likely headed to the NFL draft in 2023.

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