2019 Finish and Record:
The Detroit Lions finished the 2019-2020 season with a record of 3-12-1 (No Playoffs) for a poor winning percentage of .219. Detroit finished dead last in the NFC North.
Returning Offensive and Defensive Starters:
Offensive Side: 8
Defensive Side: 3
Key Additions:
CB Desmond Trufant (signed for two years, $21 million)
S Jayron Kearse (signed for one year, $2.75 million)
LB Jamie Collins Sr. (signed for three years, $30 million, $18 million guaranteed)
QB Chase Daniel (signed for three years, $13 million)
S Duron Harmon (via trade)
DI Danny Shelton (signed for two years, $8 million)
T Halapoulivaati Vaitai (signed for five years, $50 million)
Detroit Lions Season Outlook:
After a dismal 3-12-1 finish in his second season as head coach, Matt Patricia got a reprieve from ownership last winter. So did general manager Bob Quinn, who now finds himself on the hot seat along with the man he hired in 2018 with the promise of building a consistent winner. That hasn’t happened, obviously. And while a roster overhaul and some key injuries are partly to blame — quarterback Matthew Stafford’s back problems helped derail the Lions’ hopes in 2019. Patience is running thin, fueled by fan unrest and declining attendance at Ford Field. Expect the Lions to finish right around the 7-9 mark for this season. You could stretch it to 8-8 but don’t get your hopes up for seeing the Lions be an above .500 team come the end of the season. If the Lions don’t improve on the field and make the playoffs or come close, major changes are in store for Detroit.
Win Total (Over/Under):
The Lions are in a tough division. In saying that, their rivals in the NFC North didn’t do anything crazy in the offseason to widen the gap. The Lions, meanwhile, arguably had the best offseason of the four teams. With Stafford under center in 2019, the Lions were right around a .500 football team. Just like seemingly every season of Stafford’s career, games will fall squarely on his shoulders. If Stafford can get the help he deserves, the Lions could be a decent football team. Stafford can’t do it all by himself — not many other quarterbacks consistently can, either. So if you’re looking to put money down and play it safe, go with under 7.5 wins. But if you wanna play high risk, high reward, go ahead and throw it on over 7 wins.
Fantasy Player to Watch:
The Lions actually have a handful of players that you would want on your team outside of Matthew Stafford. The list goes from their two backs, Kerryon Johnson and D’Andre Swift to wideouts Kenny Golladay, and Marvin Jones Jr. You could even throw Tight End T.J. Hockenson in there as he’s poised to have a breakout year. If I had to narrow it down to just one player I’d recommend, then go with Kenny Golladay. He’s 100 percent fantasy-relevant and if he falls to your team, you have some serious fire power.
The NIU product had a monster year last season and led the team across the board, finishing with 65 receptions, 1,190 yards, and 11 touchdowns. This man is a bonified receiver and will only help your fantasy team consistently every week. He finished third among fantasy receivers last season despite not having Matt Stafford for half of it. Just to showcase his massive ascension among NFL receivers, Golladay finished seventh in receiving yards, fourth in yards per catch, and first in touchdowns. If you can get Golladay, take him!
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