I don’t think anyone is surprised that the Detroit Lions will have the second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. If anything, it is surprising they are not the top pick. The Lions once again embraced what feels like a perpetual rebuild.
There was very little talent left on the roster coming into this past year. The 3-13-1 record doesn’t really give justice to what Dan Campbell was able to build. The talentless team was always competing hard and staying in games they had no right to be in. Their three wins all came in the back half of the year, against quality NFL rosters (Packers, Cardinals, Vikings). The Detroit Lions still have a lot of work to do on the roster, but the hope for Lions fans is that they at least have the right man steering the ship.
Free Agency Preview
Projected Cap Space (w/ Rank): $29,341,663 (11th)
Notable impending free agents: The Detroit Lions will be without a backup quarterback heading into free agency with Tim Boyle an unrestricted free agent (UFA). David Blough is a restricted free agent (RFA).
All notable running backs will be back under contract for 2022; besides exclusive rights free agent (ERFA) Godwin Igwebuike. The Lions will keep their young receiving group intact but will be saying goodbye to depth pieces such as Josh Reynolds, Khalif Raymond, and KhaDarel Hodge. There will not be any notable losses at the tight end position.
Needs and player fits: The Detroit Lions need help in most places on the roster, especially on defense. I would say the Lions need an upgrade at two of four fantasy-relevant positions. D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams provide a strong enough backfield, and TJ Hockenson has the long-term tight end job locked up.
Amon-Ra St. Brown has looked great as a rookie, but they need some other options to run with him. I would specifically like someone that can stretch the field, letting St. Brown run underneath.
Will Fuller, Mike Williams, Odell Beckham, DJ Chark, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, and James Washington would all be good fits depending on their cost in free agency. Quarterback is the other position the Lions need an upgrade, but I don’t think the free agents at the position are enough of an upgrade to move on from Jared Goff.
Draft Preview
While the Detroit Lions may look for running back and tight end depth in the draft, I would go back to quarterback and wide receiver as top draft options. Unlike free agency, the draft is where I can see the Lions go after a quarterback.
With the Lions roster being in full rebuild, it’s tough to tell which quarterback fits the scheme best. That said, I think the Lions are in a good position to swing big and let Goff continue to play until the rookie is ready. A raw toolsy prospect like Malik Willis could fit well in this situation. For similar reasons, I could see the talented Kenny Pickett as a good fit, whose competitiveness would likely be a selling point to Dan Campbell.
The next question is what receivers can stretch the field and put fear in the hearts of opposing defenses. There are good options in this draft for the Lions as well. Treylon Burks and Jameson Williams would both add a big-play element sorely missing on this roster right now. Some cheaper options that can bring size and/or speed elements to the Lions would include George Pickens, John Metchie, Justyn Ross, and Jalen Tolbert.
2022 Preview
The offseason will be critical to the outlook of the Detroit Lions fantasy-relevant options in 2022. There are two to three players that are locked in fantasy starters regardless of the Lion’s offseason moves.
D’Andre Swift is young, versatile, and chock-full of talent. His price as the RB3 overall in fantasy football is a little rich for me as a guy that hasn’t proven the ability to be a full-time workhorse. Yet, there is no denying he is a locked-in RB1 option.
TJ Hockenson is also locked in as a middling TE1 for fantasy football. He didn’t show the jump in upside we were hoping for this year, but he belongs to be at the front of any conversation regarding fantasy tight ends after the top tier.
Amon-Ra St. Brown will likely be the most discussed Lions player this offseason. He went nuclear down the stretch and was a top-10 fantasy option in the back half of the season. The worry is that he was doing it with basically no target competition. The Lions will almost certainly bring in a couple of the names discussed above. ARSB also is going to be reliant on volume; as he barely cracked 10 YPR on the year. Will the volume be enough with the added competition?
I think the talent is here to stay with St. Brown; and he can carve out a Tyler Boyd-like career for himself. As long as the Detroit Lions don’t fall into two stud young receivers as the Bengals did, St. Brown should be a usable fantasy piece for the foreseeable future.
I will likely not have any interest in the Lions’ quarterbacks next year; given that Goff was not usable this year, and any potential rookie is going to take time to acclimate. I will say that Goff can be had for very cheap as depth in Superflex leagues, where I think there is a good shot he will be a starting NFL quarterback next year.
For a team lacking in overall talent, the Lions have a lot more fantasy value than perceived at first glance. Swift and Hockenson are locked-in starters in every league. St. Brown seems to be the new hotness heading into the fantasy football offseason. The team also provides a good landing spot for some of this year’s top rookies or free agents as well. The Detroit Lions may not be contending soon, but they will be a team to watch this offseason.
