SideLion Report
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Detroit Lions: A fantasy football guide for Motor City fans

By Michael Kirkland

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 3: Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions calls a play in the huddle against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 3: Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Detroit Lions calls a play in the huddle against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 3, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Michael Roberts reception
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – AUGUST 13: Edwin Jackson #53 of the Indianapolis Colts makes a tackle against Michael Roberts #80 of the Detroit Lions in the first half of a preseason game at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 13, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Tight ends

Luke Willson

Luke Willson is new to the Lions roster, but not new to Detroit. The Windsor native is the best receiving threat, and has similar speed and size of former Lion, Eric Ebron. Willson has always had talented players in front of him and performed well when called upon. In 2014, he started ten games, and had 362 yards and three scores. Not huge numbers but that’s also just over half of a season.

Is he capable of being a starter on your fantasy team? I don’t know. With Stafford behind center, he is certainly capable of finding the end zone enough to be relevant.

Round to target: CBS says he’s gone around pick 56. Fantasy Football Calculator has him undraftable in a fifteen round draft. I would err to the side of FFC. He’s worth a late flyer, or a free agent pickup. If he is getting targets, especially in the red zone, he is a viable candidate. Think about him in round fourteen or fifteen as a TE2.

Michael Roberts

Michael Roberts is tight end number two as a receiver in the Detroit offense. Being that Willson probably isn’t worth a very high pick, going after his understudy probably isn’t a great idea. That doesn’t mean that Roberts isn’t a name to remember, or that you shouldn’t keep an eye on the second year man out of Toledo.

Should he develop a good chemistry with Matt Stafford and supplant Willson as the best receiver among tight ends, be ready. Perhaps, he just gets the red zone targets.

Tight ends need to score to be relevant more than anything else; there are only a couple tight ends that are capable of putting up wide receiver numbers in yards and receptions; Gronkowski in New England, and Kelce in Kansas City are the main two.

Round to target: Free agent if he gets red zone targets or takes Ebron’s place as the number three option in the offense. I’m not going to discuss Levine Toilolo because it’s the same discussion except that he is the primary blocker. Moving on!

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