It's that time of year when fantasy football rankings begin to trickle out, and fantasy GMs begin planning for their seasons.
Which Detroit Lion should you consider for your fantasy football team?
I asked the Detroitlions.com crew, and here's what they had to say:
Tim Twentyman: Tight end T.J. Hockenson
Quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Kenny Golladay, running back D'Andre Swift and running back Kerryon Johnson are all good options, but I'm going to go with a player who I think will be a solid late-round fantasy bargain this year – tight end T.J. Hockenson.
The Lions' second-year tight end got off to a great start last year with 131 yards and a touchdown in his debut, but he didn't have another game that impacted the fantasy stat line like that again as teams paid more attention to him and Hockenson navigated his way through a rookie season at a notoriously difficult position to learn for first-year players.
There are a lot of examples of tight ends taking off in their second season, and I believe that will be the case for Hockenson as OC Darrell Bevell attempts to get his tight ends more involved in the offense this season.
Mike O'Hara: Wide receiver Kenny Golladay
My first thought made Golladay jump out as an easy pick, coming off 11 TD receptions and 18.3 yards per catch in 2019.
But going through my fantasy reads made it less clear cut. On paper, the addition of rookie D'Andre Swift should add punch and versatility to the running game. Tight end T.J. Hockenson should be a more frequent target, especially in the end zone, with a year of experience.
There's depth in the receiving corps behind Golladay with Marvin Jones Jr. and Danny Amendola. And there's a push to get tight end Jesse James involved more in the offense. All that makes for a more diverse offense, with more production.
It also makes for a big season for quarterback Matthew Stafford – with the payoff in fantasy points from all those options.
Tori Petry: Wide receiver Kenny Golladay
Kenny Golladay had 1,190 yards and 11 TDs last season - and that was playing without Matthew Stafford for half the season! Since stepping on the scene in 2017, Golladay has consistently racked up fantasy stats whenever he's been on the field, and I expect this year to be no different.
Editor's Pick: Quarterback Matthew Stafford
The Lions should have an improved run game this year, and I think that will help Stafford's numbers as opposed to dipping into them. Stafford has plenty of capable targets and an offensive scheme he's very comfortable in. Plus you can probably wait until the later rounds to grab him.
