Preseason Game 3: Dolphins 24, Lions 17.

Preseason Game 4: Texans 26, Lions 7.

QB: The battle for the backup job was won by QB Kyle Allen and it was an easy call as he clearly outplayed QB Hendon Hooker. He was already winning the battle and then Allen went 19 of 22 for 190 yards with 3 TDs and no turnovers in these final two games. Hooker went 12 of 24 for 131 yards with 0 TDs and 2 INTs. So the question was would the Lions keep Hooker around or free up a spot for another position? Reports coming out as I write this say he is being waived. I guess there was no interest in the trade market. If he goes unclaimed on waivers he could come back to the Lions practice squad. The Lions will definitely want to have a quarterback on the practice squad since they will only have two on the active roster. But maybe they will find someone other than Hooker. He just didn't show much and I think the Lions are comfortable moving on from him. To be fair he didn't get much of a chance in the Houston game as the Texans dominated the time of possession with over 40 minutes, so the Lions offense only ran 35 plays. But he didn't do enough and that's the bottom line in the NFL. As for QB Jared Goff, there were reports that the Lions offense looked really good in their joint practices with the Dolphins. The questions going into the season remain the same and we'll find out soon enough how Goff looks with a new offensive coordinator and a revamped interior offensive line. The numbers show Goff's numbers decline more than most when faced with interior pressure.

RB: Looks like I'm picking 8th in my league, so I won't have a chance to draft RB Jahmyr Gibbs. I can't imagine he lasts past 5 in most leagues, and I don't see any reason to avoid taking him that early. RB David Montgomery looks like a nice value at his ADP as he should still produce at a steady rate this season, with upside if Gibbs were to miss time as he could carry a heavier load in that scenario. As for depth, RB Sione Vaki has had some nagging injuries but he did appear in the Miami game. Vaki and RB Craig Reynolds appear set as the backups, with RB Jacob Saylors likely ticketed for the practice squad after a nice showing in the preseason.

WR/TE: The reports from camp and especially the joint practices were very positive on WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and WR Jameson Williams. Looks like Williams ADP is climbing a bit. His big play potential means he'll still have that boom/bust potential in any given week, but it sounds like they want to get him involved on more than just deep balls. We'll see if his route running has improved to make him a more complete receiver. St. Brown of course is just rock solid if you can draft him late in round 1. Such a high floor. As for the depth pieces, rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa had 41 yards and a TD catch in both of these games and he is already a fan favorite. I'm not sure how much playing time he'll see in the real games but at the very least keep him in mind as a deep sleeper. For now I think he remains behind veterans WR Tim Patrick and WR Kalif Raymond, but they could sprinkle him in. UDFA Jackson Meeks made a statement with 7-93 and a TD against Miami, sparking conversations that the Lions might go heavy and keep 7 receivers if 7th round rookie WR Dominic Lovett also makes it. We're still waiting for all of the cuts to roll in. Reports are that Meeks is being waived but he's a lock for the practice squad if he doesn't get claimed. Not much to report at tight end. TE Sam LaPorta sat out the games like the other starters. He is a solid pick at his ADP. There was a minor injury but I haven't heard anything so I assume he's fine.

K/DST: There was some concern that the Lions offense was a little sluggish and behind the defense in camp. But once the Lions offense dominated the Dolphins the thought process changed a bit as maybe the Lions defense was being underestimated a bit. The backups had some struggles in the preseason games and I don't think they unearthed any hidden gems like they have in previous years. If the starters stay healthy this can be a formidable unit. And putting in the work in the hot weather we had here for most of the last month should have these guys ready to roll.

Next up for the Lions will be the official cut to 53 and then the regular season opener against the Packers.

End.