I don’t know where summer went but here we are. It’s time look at some of the training camp battles, questions, early fantasy rankings, and interesting numbers to look at over the next few weeks.

QB: It will be interesting to see how the Lions approach the preseason. They are not going to take part in any joint practices this year, which is a big change from previous years. It’s also putting them in a very small minority as I believe I saw only 4 teams are not doing any joint practices this year. The Lions got off to a bit of a slow start offensively last year so I think when you add it all up QB Jared Goff might actually play in the preseason for the first time in a while If he does it’s probably a good move since he won’t get the benefit of reps in the joint practices. He’s smart enough to know how to protect himself and his lack of mobility doesn’t expose him to taking hits down the field. With a new offensive coordinator (again), that’s another reason why getting Goff some live preseason reps seems like a good idea. As for Goff’s fantasy value, his consensus/average ranking seems to be in the mid teens. His upside is limited without any ability to provide rushing stats, but it’s a high floor. The Lions still have weapons on offense and he has low injury risk. And with questions on defense you might see the Lions involved in some shootouts like we saw at times late in the 2024 season.

RB: There isn’t a wide range of draft positions for RB Jahmyr Gibbs. It’s either number 1 or 2 overall according to all the experts. Gibbs and Bijan Robinson are in their own tier going into this season and you can’t go wrong with either one. If there is one concern it could be that Gibbs wasn’t as consistent as you might like in 2025. He racked up huge stats in a few games against weak opponents which may have overshadowed his struggles on the ground in games against the better defenses. But he had 77 catches last year; his receiving ability is why his fantasy value is sky high, along with the fact that he is no longer sharing with David Montgomery. One late note to also maybe keep an eye on is Gibb’s contract situation. Gibbs and Bijan are both eligible for contract extensions. Are they both waiting for the other to go first? The Lions have not been shy about extending their talent that they have drafted and developed and I would expect they will do the same with Gibbs at some point. But I know former NFL offensive lineman Jon Jansen, who is a co host on the morning show on the Detroit sports talk radio station, mentioned the other day that he thinks Gibbs could be a "hold in". The coaches seem to like RB Isiah Pacheco but I don’t expect him to take too much of the workload. Pacheco is probably a guy that only has value as a handcuff to Gibbs. The depth after that is a little shaky. RB Sione Vaki is penciled in as the third back and he is a deep sleeper to keep in mind if he does well in the preseason to stay there on the depth chart.

WR/TE: Much like how Goff has a high floor, the same applies to WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, although Amon-Ra is in a higher tier at his position. But he is a rock solid round 1 fantasy selection as he enters year 6 of his career very much in his prime. It seems like all the experts have Nacua and Chase as the top tier and then St. Brown is near the top of the next tier. It’s a bit of a wider range for WR Jameson Williams as his ranking among receivers is somewhere in the 20s according to most. As usual Williams has that big play potential which makes him boom or bust from week to week. He ended 2025 with 1,117 yards which is nothing to sneeze at. WR Isaac TeSlaa found himself getting drafted as a late flier last year after a big preseason. He didn’t play enough to put up big numbers. He figures to play more snaps this year but doesn’t project to make a big impact so he is a late flier at best. After bursting onto the scene in 2023 as a rookie, TE Sam LaPorta has seen his numbers drop each year since then, although last year it was due to a season ending back injury. We’ll try to see what the vibes are coming out of camp but all indications are that he is healthy and ready to go. But he’s probably the fourth option in the offense now, which is reflected by the experts who seems to have him rated between about 8 and 12 which means he is a low end starting tight end.

K/DST: You can consider PK Jake Bates draftable based on the Lions potent offense and his ability to make long kicks. On defense, there were developments in the Terrion Arnold case. Now that he is officially facing serious felony charges the Lions released him. This adds to the questions in the secondary which is already facing uncertainty with injuries at safety. The Lions defense overall projects to be middle of the pack. You will want to target LB Jack Campbell in IDP leagues if possible.

The first preseason game is set for Thursday August 13 in Cincinnati against the Bengals. In my next report I will have observations from that game along with all other news coming out of training camp. The Lions have announced their schedule of practices that will be open to fans but I am going to skip it again this season.

End.