In the ESPN 10-team mock draft, published Friday, D’Andre Swift led five Detroit Lions who were selected.
Some of ESPN’s fantasy football staff assembled for a 10-team 0.5-point, superflex PPR mock draft, published on Friday. Over 17 rounds, with kickers and team defenses used, five Detroit Lions were selected.
So where did the handful of Lions go off the board?
D’Andre Swift lands as top-tier RB
D’Andre Swift led Detroit in rushing last year with 617 yards in 13 games, with five rushing touchdowns as he averaged 4.1 yards per carry. His real breakout came as a receiver, with 62 catches for 452 yards and two scores.
Swift went 25th overall in the ESPN mock. That’s third round, since it’s only 10 teams, but that would be the first pick of the third round in a 12-team league). He was the eighth running back off the board, but falling to the third round here is interesting. Fantasy Football Calculator has Swift’s ADP in 10-team 0.5-point PPR at pick 2.03 (13th overall).
Swift should be a workhorse in an improved Lions’ offense, behind a fully healthy and talented offensive line.
Amon-Ra St. Brown looks like a solid flex option, at minimum
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown was the second Lion selected by the ESPN panel, at pick No. 66 in the seventh round–as WR22 off the board. Among wide receivers, he was three picks after Mike Williams, two after DK Metcalf and one before Jerry Jeudy within that seventh round.
St. Brown got attention for a great finish to his rookie season last year. In the last six games of 2021, he was targeted 67 times with 51 receptions for 560 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
St. Brown was drafted as a low-end WR2 here, and in a PPR-format he has a good chance to finish there. But he’s a comfortable flex option, at minimum, regardless of scoring format.
Detroit Lions are definitely on the fantasy football radar
T.J. Hockenson a top-tier tight end
Tight end T.J. Hockenson was the third Lion selected by the ESPN panel, with the 83rd pick (ninth round). He was the seventh tight end drafted.
Hockenson missed the final five games of last season, but prior to his injury he was on a 17-game pace of 86 receptions. He was and will remain a prominent and reliable target for Jared Goff, with his ability to win contested catch situations.
Jared Goff drafted as he should have been
Speaking of Goff, he was drafted in the 12th round (pick No. 113) as QB24–among quarterbacks, the was one pick after Carson Wentz.
Goff missed a total of three games last season due to a positive COVID test and a couple injuries. But he finished strongly, with a 107.1 passer rating, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions over his final five starts. That is fostering hope for a run of his best play over the full season this year.
Goff is a QB2/streaming option in fantasy this year, and the ESPN mock backed up that consensus.
Jameson Williams lands as a late-round flier
Rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams was selected with the No. 155 pick (16th round, in the aforementioned 17-round draft).
Williams is working his way back from a torn ACL injury that occurred in the College football national championship game on January 10, 2022. On the idea he’ll be at full strength for the stretch run of the season, he’s a worthy late-round flier for fantasy managers who can be patient awaiting his debut.
One ESPN drafter ended up with two Lions. Analyst Tom Carpenter took St. Brown and Williams, and also a former Lion in Matthew Stafford.