5 Lions players who'll benefit most from Jameson Williams' suspension absence

2. WR Allen Robinson

By all accounts Robinson has brought a veteran presence and work ethic since the Lions signed him to the practice squad after final roster cuts around the league. He was signed to the active roster after playing one snap in his team debut (Week 3), and the only other action he has seen to this point (nine snaps) came in the blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6.

Campbell has included Robinson on the list of players who can help fill the void left by Williams if/when he was suspended all week long, and on Wednesday he directly named Robinson as someone in line for a bigger workload in Williams' absence.

"I would say Allen Robinson, I mean we just went through the walkthrough, I mean, he’s going to take on a heavy load here, too", Campbell said. "Talk about a pro, man, I mean, he’s locked in. Everything we just went through, I mean, it’s meticulous, which fires you up." 

Robinson has been easy to dismiss as past his prime based on a drop-off in production over the last few seasons. But he's got a good situation with the Lions, and now opportunity is knocking.

1. TE Sam LaPorta

To put it mildly, LaPorta has had a slow start to his second season. He actually has 17 targets in six games (14 receptions for 224 yards and one touchdown), but the point below from fantasy football analyst Kyle Yates still pretty much holds.

The big target share Jameson Williams had in the first two games this season hasn't held up in subsequent weeks, as expected. But that reduction in target volume also hasn't done anything for LaPorta's opportunity volume.

The Titans (the Lions' aforementioned Week 8 opponent) enters the week tied for the fewest receptions allowed to tight ends (18, with a caveat of already having their bye). The Packers, coming in Week 9 on the Lions' schedule, enter Week 8 tied for the fourth-most receptions allowed to tight ends (39).

LaPorta's target share (10 percent, 53rd among 62 tight ends who've played at last 50 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus) can't drop much more. The next couple games could be a turning point for his season, with more targets seeming natural to come his way.