Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown on WR1 fast track in fantasy rest of season

Amon-Ra St. Brown has been productive when healthy this season, and with the trade of T.J. Hockenson he’s back on a familiar track as as fantasy receiver.

Amon-Ra St. Brown was fully healthy for the first time in weeks against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8, and he produced (seven catches for 69 yards, on 10 targets). In full PPR fantasy scoring, he’s WR14 on a per-game basis this season (WR13 among receivers who have played more than two games).

It’s worth noting St. Brown barely played in two of the six games he has played this season, limited to 21 snaps against the New England Patriots in Week 5 and exiting after 10 snaps with a head injury in Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys.

On Tuesday, the Lions kicked off an active NFL trade deadline day by sending tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings. Hockenson is leaving behind a 17.9 percent target share, or 6.1 targets per game.

Amon-Ra St. Brown on fast track to a WR1 finish in fantasy

As some will remember, we’ve been here before with St. Brown. Hockenson missed the final five games of last season with a thumb injury. Over that stretch, Week 13-18, St. Brown was the WR2 in fantasy in all scoring formats (standard, 0.5-point PPR, full PPR).

Running back D’Andre Swift was also out or had limited work over that closing stretch to the season last year. He’s banged up again now, but if he’s on the field he’ll get passing game work.

What remains of St. Brown’s fantasy outlook after the Lions’ bye week has changed with Hockenson gone. The team’s replacement tight ends (James Mitchell, Brock Wright, Shane Zylstra) won’t take all the targets Hockenson is leaving behind. The Lions’ wide receiver corps is also filled with injuries (DJ Chark, Josh Reynolds, Jameson Williams), but St. Brown would be the unquestioned top option anyway.

St. Brown will not be repeating the epic closing run to his rookie season over the rest of this year, and his fantasy managers are starting him no matter what. But a once locked-in WR2 for fantasy lineups is now on track to a WR1 (top-12) finish in 2022.