5 Detroit Lions who should play more after the bye week
2. RB Jamaal Williams
Speaking of Williams, he is the Lions’ leading rusher (312 yards) despite missing the game before the bye. He is also averaging over a yard more per carry than Swift (4.4 vs. 3.2). But in his seven games played, the former Packer has cleared a 40 percent snap share once.
According to Player Profiler, Williams is a top-10 running back in the league based on Expected Points Added (EPA).
It’s unclear how one more game together impacted the numbers, but through Week 6 the Lions’ offense was markedly better with Swift and Williams on the field together. That is something offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn has to explore as he tries to coax more from his group after the bye. Quite simply, put the best players on the field as much as possible–and Swift’s versatility allows for it.
1. OLB/DE Julian Okwara
Okwara is tied for second on the Lions in sacks (two) and second by himself in quarterback hits (four) through eight games. Since his brother Romeo suffered a season-ending Achilles’ tear in Week 4, Julian has seen a consistent uptick in playing time.
Week 5 at Vikings: 20 snaps-30 percent snap share
Week 6 vs. Bengals: 33 snaps-46 percent snap share
Week 7 at Rams: 35 snaps-54 percent snap share
Week 8 vs. Eagles: 36 snaps-55 percent snap share
Trey Flowers has shown up on the injury report with a knee injury since missing two games with the ailment, so that should be noted. But Okwara has more tackles for loss (three vs. one) and more quarterback hits (three vs. two) over the last four games. Flowers outsnapped Okwara significantly over the first three games of that stretch (139 to 88), then (with the blowout as a noted caveat) Okwara played the aforementioned 36 snaps to Flowers’ 20 in Week 8.
Okwara has been asked to step up in the wake of his brothers’ injury. He has mostly done so, so let’s see more over the final nine games.
Honorable Mentions: DT Alim McNeill, LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, RB Godwin Igwebuike, DE/OLB Austin Bryant
