Detroit Lions Fantasy Distribution: Expectations for Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta and More

The Detroit Lions are one of the most well-rounded offensive teams in the league. While not quite to their level of the 49ers, the Lions have a lot of San Francisco to their game, featuring stars at each skill position and a quarterback who is more efficient than explosive.

After winning a playoff rematch against the Rams in Week 1, Detroit gets another rerun of the 2023 playoffs as Tampa Bay comes to town. The Lions won in the Divisional Round 31-23, and both teams return mostly intact with the impact players from last year.

With a team full of talented skill players, I wanted to check in with the Lions after one game to see if we could gain any knowledge from their snap counts and usage. Each player is listed with his snap count and stats in Week 1. The snap shares are from Football Guys.

Running Back

Jahmyr Gibbs: 31 snaps (51%), 11 carries, 40 yards, 1 TD, 4 catches, 34 yards

David Montgomery: 30 snaps (49%), 17 carries, 91 yards, 1 TD, 1 catch, 2 yards

These guys seem destined to split the work. That’s a great thing for the Detroit offense, but it means neither will probably be the top fantasy back on any given week. Gibbs and Montgomery are both weekly fantasy starters; no other team outside of Miami has two true fantasy backs.

The duo sealed the game in overtime against the Rams, combining for six rushes and a reception over eight plays. Montgomery really boosted his numbers in the extra period: he racked up 45 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown (Gibbs had 13 yards and the reception).

These two backs are both worthy of starting against probably every defense. Detroit has had a rushing factory over the past two years, and that continued in Week 1. Against Tampa this week, they are both in line for plenty of work with a chance to score.

Fantasy Advice

Start both Gibbs and Montgomery every week.

Wide Receiver

Amon-Ra St. Brown: 60 snaps (98%), 6 targets, 3 catches, 13 yards

Jameson Williams: 52 snaps (85%), 9 targets, 5 catches, 121 yards, 1 TD, 1 rush, 13 yards

Kalif Raymond: 37 snaps (61%), 0 targets, 1 rush, 12 yards

St. Brown had just two games with three or less receptions last season and no games as low as 13 yards. He’s only been below 13 yards twice in his career. Week 1 was a complete outlier for the star receiver.

The most likely scenario is that St. Brown returns to top fantasy status as soon as Week 2 and the world keeps turning. It’s interesting to see Williams have such a huge game while his teammate was shut down; it makes sense to think Williams just picked up the slack.

They are different players, though. While St. Brown has explosive ability, he often works out of the slot as a possession receiver. Williams is lightning in a bottle, generally touching the ball less than a guy like St. Brown but gaining more yards per catch.

Sure enough, Williams averaged 24.2 yards per catch, and only one was shorter than his 13-yard run. Williams is a boom-or-bust player, and Week 1 was as “boom” as it gets: boom goes the dynamite, you might say.

St. Brown is still the guy moving forward, though. Williams is worth being rostered and should be considered on the right weeks. Week 2 is one of those weeks. The Buccaneers allowed the third-most passing yards, seventh-most yards per attempt and 10th-most fantasy points to wide receivers last season.

They didn’t allow much to Washington receivers last week, but that’s not a good comparison: Jayden Daniels ran 16 times versus 24 pass attempts and often was going to his running backs and/or throwing screens. A real passing offense like Detroit is likely to move the ball against the Bucs.

Raymond isn’t a fantasy option unless you’re in the deepest of leagues. Even against a weak pass defense, he’s unlikely to see the ball more than a few times.

Fantasy Advice

St. Brown is a no-brainer, and Williams is a player to consider every week with your other options. Week 2 is a good one for the second receiver.

Tight End

Sam LaPorta: 48 snaps (79%), 5 targets, 4 catches, 45 yards

Brock Wright: 30 snaps (49%), 1 target, 1 catch, 2 yards

Wright isn’t a fantasy player. It might be intriguing to see what he does if LaPorta were ever to miss time, but it’s doubtful he would even come close to his star teammate’s production.

LaPorta, on the other hand, was drafted as one of the top two tight ends in fantasy along with Travis Kelce. LaPorta led tight ends with 10 touchdowns last year and caught 86 passes for 889 yards. He’s unlikely to keep up that TD rate, but LaPorta seems likely to approach that 80-reception, 900-yard level on a yearly basis.

Until further notice, LaPorta is a weekly starter. Something went disastrously wrong if that changes.

Fantasy Advice

Get LaPorta in your lineup and forget about it.

Quarterback

Jared Goff benefits from his bevy of stars the same way Brock Purdy does in San Francisco. That has worked out to top-10 fantasy QB play over each of the past two seasons. There’s not much reason to expect anything different this year.

Goff is a good streamer, worth putting in your fantasy lineup on the right weeks. Week 2 is a good chance to use him, as we detailed Tampa’s struggles against the pass above.