Projections can be a tricky business, and they do need updating sometimes when new information becomes available and there's time to update them before anything meaningful happens. On that note ESPN's Mike Clay freshened his 2023 NFL projections a few days ago, of course within a fantasy context for individual player stats from one of the four-letter network's top fantasy analysts.
Clay has defensive players in his projections, which of course have value and context in IDP fantasy leagues. But here we'll focus on the Detroit Lions offensive player projections, and form some takeaways.
Here are our top takeaways/reactions from Clay's new 2023 projections.
5. Riley Patterson projected to win the kicking job?
Clay has Riley Patterson projected to be the Lions' kicker. He was re-acquired in a trade from the Jacksonville Jaguars in May, adding a third body (with Michael Badgley and John Parker Romo) to a kicking competition, According to those on the ground at OTAs, the competition was not too inspiring with Patterson and Romo prominently on display.
Patterson also lost a preseason battle to be the Lions' kicker in last year's training camp....to Austin Seibert.
There's still time for the Lions to sign a capable, experienced kicker (Robbie Gould?), and stop all these half-measures to add bodies to the competition this offseason. No one being signed and Badgley keeping the job is far more likely than Patterson doing enough to take the job in training camp and the preseason. So projecting Patterson to be the Lions' kicker this season is a real stretch.