Fantasy Football Impact of Ben Johnson Staying with the Lions: Will Anything Change?
With news that Detroit is keeping their offensive coordinator, the effect will be felt from the lack of change. What can we expect from the rest of the offseason, and what does it mean for the fantasy outlook of Lions' players?
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson announced that he is staying with the team in 2024 despite interest from most teams with head coach openings.
The situation can be seen in two ways: First, Johnson is squandering his best opportunity at one of the 32 best non-playing jobs in football. Everything must come together the right way for anyone to be considered for a head coaching job, and Johnson may never have a better case.
The other side, from which Johnson himself is surely viewing it, is that he’s in the perfect situation on a team on the rise, and sticking with the Lions gives him the chance to compete for a Super Bowl next season. It sounds a lot better than trying to find success in Washington.
This is a boon for the Lions, who have an aggressive leader at head coach and hold onto one of the hottest offensive names in football. Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is still interviewing for head coaching jobs, and while the team would surely like to keep the crew together, Detroit’s defense was the unit lacking this season, so a change won’t handicap the team the same way losing Johnson might.
While uncertainty clouds most of the league each season, Detroit has stabilized the most important parts of the franchise and looks ready to win consistently. What can we expect next season, and what does it mean for fantasy football?
2024 Outlook
Next year’s offense is likely to look a lot like what we just saw in 2023. Every major piece is signed for next season, with only receiver Josh Reynolds and guards Graham Glasnow and Halapoulivaati Vaitai among players who made a real impact and are currently not under contract.
After his struggles in the NFC Championship Game, Reynolds might be ready for a change of scenery, but he is very replaceable. Teams can find starting guards in many places. Detroit can choose to upgrade positions but don’t have to do much to keep the same baseline of play next season.
Jahmyr Gibbs, with a full season under his belt, will get more opportunities. Jameson Williams has only played in 18 regular season games in two seasons but has shown flashes; he was the 12th overall pick for a reason. Williams can be the most explosive aspect of a consistent unit.
It seems like we know what to expect from Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery and Sam LaPorta. LaPorta can be expected to improve, but how much better can he really do from a pass catching standpoint? He is already among the best tight ends; a big jump would take him into Travis Kelce peak territory.
Fantasy Impact
Is it too simple to say, “More of the same,” here? Offseason changes will alter things, but unless the team makes a major splash with a Mike Evans type, I don’t see where there will be much difference. LaPorta was the top-scoring fantasy tight end in both standard and PPR, and he should be a lock for the top five.
St. Brown has developed into one of the best receivers in the league in just three seasons; he finished as WR3 this year and has no reason to expect a big drop. Detroit’s running game is as solid as any in the league, with Gibbs and Montgomery both top-20 fantasy backs in both formats. Nothing about their usage or production was fluky and will likely continue into 2024.
So, the impact is continuity. Detroit will be expected to repeat this season’s performance in 2024, and even if they fall back a little, the Lions seem primed to compete for the foreseeable future. We will likely see each major skill player on the team drafted near the top of their position in fantasy, and Goff should be drafted as a top 10 quarterback after finishing there the last two seasons.
We can’t be sure of many things in the NFL, but Detroit looks as stable as anyone in the league right now: What a sentence. Feel confident in the Lions heading into next season.
Conclusion
It’s not too exciting to say things will look how we think, but it means the guys mentioned here are some of the safest fantasy options around. Jared Goff was QB7 (according to Fantasy Pros) in 2023. He was a top 10 weekly finisher six times, in the top 20 five more times, and never finished outside the top 25. That included only one week with single digit fantasy points.
The biggest changes are likely to come on the defensive side of the ball. With improvements there, the team will solidify itself among the top tier. Even without that defensive bump, the offense will be enough to make the team a playoff favorite.
Johnson may leave the team next offseason, and at that time, we will have to evaluate what it means for Detroit’s best players. That will be after a year of shifting landscape, though, and no one knows what to expect. Enjoy a little bit of consistency while it lasts; it won’t come often.
