Five Biggest Questions:
1. Will Jared Goff post big numbers again?
2. Can David Montgomery remain a weekly fantasy starter?
3. Is Jameson Williams a top-24 WR?
4. Are any other WRs not named Jameson or Amon-Ra worth drafting?
5. Can Sam LaPorta be trusted as a near-elite TE?
The greatest regular season in Lions history culminated in their worst playoff defeat since . . . well, last year. But in some ways, losing to Washington was worse. The 2024 Lions were built to win their first title since 1957. Their 15 victories crushed their previous high of 12. They averaged 13.1 more points per game than their opponent, which was their biggest point differential since 1934. And because fantasy football matters, they had three of the top 14 scorers.
The dream team remains intact. They are once again built for a deep playoff run, as well as incredible fantasy production. It starts with Jahmyr Gibbs, last year's overall RB1 (and RB2 in points per game, with a nod to Saquon Barkley). Gibbs achieved this on only 250 carries, thanks in large part to 52 receptions and 20 total touchdowns. Last summer I tagged him as a slight bargain, ranking him two spots ahead of his RB6 ADP. This year it's a coin flip between him and Bijan Robinson. (Yes, I deliberately left out Barkley; more on that in a couple days.)
David Mongomery (RB22 ADP) is a slightly tougher sell, though maybe I'm overthinking it. My concern is 3+ missed games in three of the last four years. His price point is that of a weekly starter. I get it. But pairing him with Gibbs makes a lot more sense going solo on a 28-year-old with durability concerns.
Meanwhile, all you Jared Goff fans can take comfort that of the 14 single-season highest-scoring teams, he's helmed two of them (including the 2018 Rams). The only other quarterback to lead two of the top 14 scoring teams is Tom Brady -- the guy whose Patriots beat Goff's nearly invincible 2018 Rams. Heading into 2025, Goff has everything he needs to post big numbers again. Last summer he was one of my favorite quarterback bargains at his QB15 ADP. Never underestimate the impact of a stacked offense. A week ago, his ADP was QB14. Now it's QB12. I still have him as a bargain at QB10.
Subscribers might remember how hard I pushed Jameson Williams last July and August. But it turns out I didn't push hard enough, because he exceeded even my highest expectations. His WR26 ADP closely mirrors las year's production. Seems reasonable, though I'd still snag him a half-round ahead of his market value. And not much to say about the consistent Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR4).
What about third-round rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa? Before last week's preseason debut, he had a WR86 ADP. Now it's WR73. The market likes players who earn positive attention, and rookies have the most fluid ADPs. Journeyman Tim Patrick (WR101) will open the season as the #3 WR unless TeSlaa proves he's the real deal -- or at least an upgrade. We'll know in a couple weeks.
And Sam LaPorta's breakout rookie campaign seems like a long time ago. Just like with Mark Andrews, managers were stuck in a multi-week dilemma: drop their (on paper) elite tight end? Or weather the storm and hope for sunnier skies in the fantasy playoffs? If you hung tight 'til midseason, you struck gold, as LaPorta averaged 13.2 points beginning in Week 8, including 16.9 during the fantasy playoffs. He's a pretty safe top 4-7 TE who probably lacks the target share to push any higher.
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