Predictions Summary Projections by Position Projection Team Boxes

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Prediction: DET 7, SEA 24 (Line: SEA by 10)

UPDATE: Joique Bell has not practiced yet this week and may not play this week. He has until Monday to heal up but he’s a poor bet anyway and with a bad ankle should be benched regardless. Marshawn Lynch is a gametime decision on Monday night with his hamstring injury. Unless you own Thomas Rawls, banking on Lynch is very risky. Chances are that even if he starts, he won’t play a full game short of a miraculous recovery.

The 0-3 Lions appear stale and listless and now head to Seattle. The Seahawks got into the in column with a shutout of Chicago and now have the Lions showing up. The Lions at least have a better chance to score. This is another game you have to worry about players giving a full effort or even playing the full game. This is a Monday night game that looked more competitive last spring… actually not even then.

The Lions continue to struggle in OC Joe Lombardi’s offense that hasn’t produced a big game for any of the players much less a win. Matt Stafford is a turnover machine and the rushing offense is ineffective. The only positive surprise has been Eric Ebron with more touchdowns (2) than all wideouts combined (1). In the words of a commercial – ” This isn’t how this works. This isn’t how any of this works.” With Seattle and Arizona up next, chances of a quick fix are exceptionally low.

QUARTERBACK : Matt Stafford has thrown a score in every game so far but never more than two and never without at least one interception. There is some success targeting Calvin Johnson constantly but no other. The best that Stafford can hope for is to fall behind so far that the Seahawks allow slop time at the end of the game. And yet they did not extend that luxury to the Bears last week. Stafford is also much more sensitive to the pass rush this season.

RUNNING BACK : Joique Bell is getting the most carries which makes no sense for a runner who has 20 carries for 22 yards over the three games. Ameer Abdullah scored again last week on a reception but he’s never been allowed more than 11 touches in a game despite offering the only break away ability in the backfield. Last week the Lions went to the passing formation and gave Theo Riddick eight catches for 66 yards at the end of the game.

The Lions are unable to generate a solid rushing attack and the only back (Abdullah) that has shown the ability to make a difference has been given no more than 11 plays per game. It is a frustrating, confusing situation that repeats every season for at least one team unwilling to give the apparent best player a chance.

WIDE RECEIVER : Calvin Johnson has just one score on the year and has not topped 83 yards but he’s been exponentially better than any other Detroit wideout. Golden Tate is averaging about 50 yards per game and Lance Moore gets about one catch. Stafford is not connecting with the wideouts this year and that has to be about scheme and execution because this same set of players have excelled before.

TIGHT END : Eric Ebron scored twice so far and is getting around 50 yards per game which is very consistent considering the rest of the receivers. He’s not done enough to merit a fantasy start so far but at least he is improving and becoming a part of the game plan.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: While better than the Bears last week, the Lions are still playing in one of the toughest venues in the league and trying to fix a broken offense against one of the best defenses. Richard Sherman will draw Calvin Johnson unless they move him around and Sherman stays put (usually). This is not a great spot for Stafford to work on his turnover issues either. Bottom line – none of these players have a good matchup here but Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate may end up with decent fantasy points if they get slow at the end of the game. That is hard to rely on but Johnson’s upside is still probably better than most other options for fantasy owners. Abdullah could break one here as well but it could easily end up using Theo Riddick again since the Lions will need to pass a lot in this game.

The Seahawks got back into the win column in a big way with a shutout over the injury-decimated Bears. Now the Lions show up still looking for a first win. Next week in Cincinnati will be a big test but the schedule looks pretty kind through the Week 8 bye. Kam Chancellor is back none the richer for the experience and the Seahawks defense is again intact.

QUARTERBACK : Russell Wilson has not yet produced the sort of stats he had in 2014. He’s rushed for 137 yards but no scores and thrown for only four touchdowns and never more than 251 yards. Even last week against the weak Bears secondary, he only gained 235 yards and one score. He’s not producing nearly as well as expected with the addition of Jimmy Graham. He’s not at the level of 2014 when he did not have Graham.

RUNNING BACK : As feared, Marshawn Lynch did play in the win over the Bears but he only lasted for five runs before letting Thomas Rawls rush for 104 yards on 16 carries. With a tough game in Cincy looming and Lynch still not 100%, he may opt out this week or again play the partial role. Rawls could have some fun here again if Lynch does not play. I will assume Lynch can play at least a limited role and update as needed.

It was a surprise too that Fred Jackson only ran twice in the game. He scored once on a catch in Week 2 but has only 26 yards rushing and 41 yards receiving in total.

WIDE RECEIVER : It is a bad sign when the Seahawks face one of the worst secondaries in the NFL and the best any wideout can do is Jermaine Kearse with 76 yards on six catches while Doug Baldwin only managed to catch three passes for 35 yards. He only had those three targets. There is not a shred of fantasy value here.

TIGHT END : The effort to involve Jimmy Graham led to a season best seven catches for 83 yards and one touchdown but that was on only eight targets. Graham gets another shot at a big game this week before finding the going much tougher in future weeks.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Lions are on the road and they’ve allowed about two scores per opposing quarterback. Graham is a good start this week again and should notch a touchdown. None of the wide receivers ever matter and even Wilson is a mediocre start so far as well. But Lynch/Rawls should have a nice game here. It would be best for Lynch to sit it out and give it all to Rawls again but late week practices should help decipher statuses. Graham faces a defense that has already allowed every opponent to throw a touchdown to their tight end.

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