2023 Detroit Lions Preview: Roster Moves, Depth Chart, Schedule, Storylines and More

This article is part of our Team Previews series.

Detroit Lions

Expectations are high for the only team in the league that has never won its current division, but the 1993 NFC Central champions from Detroit are finally favored to win the NFC North. The team seems confident it can get there behind a smashmouth run game and a conservative-but-opportunistic passing game. While a favorable schedule could help them claim the crown, an unproven defense, injured offensive line and a dependence on first- and second-year players could cause problems along the way.

2023 Detroit Lions Quarterback Room

• Veteran Additions: None
• Draft Picks: Hendon Hooker (Rd. 3, No. 68 – Tennessee)
• Departures: None

Much credit is due to Jared Goff since the Rams made him an outcast, especially because the Lions have not shied away from using his arm. Goff finished sixth among all signal-callers in pass attempts (587) last year and did so while posting the seventh-most yards per attempt (7.6). Respect from most sportsbooks has followed his improved play, as Goff is hovering around top-12 in MVP odds entering 2023. However, his fantasy value may be approaching a breaking point.

Goff isn't being used in rushing situations around the goal line, let alone any other part of the field, and it's conceivable that his passing production could flounder if WR Amon-Ra St. Brown misses time. While it's easy to point to Goff's explosive Week 4 performance against a then-broken Seahawks defense without St. Brown as a counter to this claim, the second half of Week 3 against Minnesota and the entirety of Week 5 against New England – in which St. Brown was limited by an ankle sprain – clearly showed otherwise.

2023 Detroit Lions Backfield

• Veteran Additions: David Montgomery (from Bears)
• Draft Picks: Jahmyr Gibbs (Rd. 1, No. 12 – Alabama)
• Departures: D'Andre Swift (to Eagles), Jamaal Williams (to Saints)

Few teams seem to have made as bold a move this offseason as Detroit did to upgrade its running back room, and the team's use of resources may seem puzzling given the potential of Swift, a 2020 second-round pick, and the recent output of Williams, who stole the Lions' single-season record for rushing TDs away from Barry Sanders last year.

However, Swift had difficulty staying healthy, and Williams' success seemed more like a product of luck and team efficiency rather than individual greatness. Montgomery, meanwhile, is a similar bruiser to Williams and had the athleticism to play QB in high school, and Gibbs has the upside to look like the next Alvin Kamara and make fans forget all about Swift along the way.

The bigger question for the backfield is the offensive line. While the bookends are strong between tackles Taylor Decker and Penei Sewell, the interior is unsettled at right guard, and the nature of center Frank Ragnow's "inoperable" turf toe could throw a wrench into Detroit's offensive game plans at a moment's notice in the upcoming season.

2023 Detroit Lions Receiving Corps

• Veteran Additions: WRs Marvin Jones (from Jaguars), Denzel Mims (from Jets)
• Draft Picks: TE Sam LaPorta (Rd. 2, No. 34 – Iowa); WR Antoine Green (Rd. 7, No. 219 – North Carolina)
• Departures: WRs DJ Chark (to Panthers), Quintez Cephus (FA)

It's time to stop doubting Amon-Ra St. Brown, who ranks among the most productive wide receivers in NFL history within his first two seasons, despite switching offensive coordinators halfway through. Not to mention playing with a QB in Jared Goff whose career was on a downslope before St. Brown's arrival.

The 23-year-old simply is a PPR machine who will be as clear of a focal point in the Lions offense as he's ever been, especially given Jameson Williams' six-game suspension to start the year. Plus, the fact that Chark was replaced with only the aging Jones and a player who hasn't tapped into his potential in Mims. More consequential for Detroit's success is the development of Williams and just how much of his upside can be realized, as the team's season could look much different if the young field stretcher turns out to be more like DeSean Jackson than Darrius Heyward-Bey.

At the same time, LaPorta could shine as the true heir to T.J. Hockenson's former spot atop the tight-end depth chart. However, many highly drafted TEs fail to rack up big stats right away, so the production at the position may be split between the rookie, Brock Wright and second-year pro James Mitchell for the near future.

2023 Detroit Lions Sleepers

⬆️  Sleeper: Josh Reynolds

Stepping into a larger role when Detroit's top two receivers missed time early in the 2022 season, the former Ram showed off his connection with Jared Goff by averaging nearly 90 receiving yards on 9.3 targets per game with five red-zone targets and one touchdown from Weeks 3-5. With Jameson Williams suspended six games and Marvin Jones and Denzel Mims serving as the replacements for DJ Chark, it's possible that Reynolds could open another campaign with a bang.

😴  Super Sleeper: James Mitchell

Coming off a torn ACL last season, Mitchell was a versatile prospect that handled a laundry list of responsibilities at Virginia Tech, from blocking and catching passes to running the ball and returning kicks. He didn't put his tools to use as a rookie, but Detroit finally showed a willingness to use tight ends during the first year of coordinator Ben Johnson's offense. If Sam LaPorta gets off to a slow start, Mitchell could become the receiving complement to the blocking-proficient Brock Wright.

2023 Detroit Lions Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (Year 3)

Offensive Coordinator: Ben Johnson (Year 2) – Erhardt-Perkins scheme

Defensive Coordinator: Aaron Glenn (Year 3) – 4-3 scheme

2023 Detroit Lions Depth Chart

QB: Jared Goff / Nate Sudfeld / Hendon Hooker / Adrian Martinez

RB: Jahmyr Gibbs / David Montgomery / Craig Reynolds / Justin Jackson

WR1: Amon-Ra St. Brown / Kalif Raymond

WR2: Jameson Williams / Denzel Mims

WR3: Marvin Jones / Josh Reynolds

TE: Brock Wright / Sam LaPorta / James Mitchell / Shane Zylstra

O-Line: LT Taylor Decker / LG Jonah Jackson / C Frank Ragnow / RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai / RT Penei Sewell (RotoWire Rank: No. 2)

Kicker: Riley Patterson / John Parker Romo

Full 2023 Depth Chart

Stats to Know for the Detroit Lions

2023 Projected Wins via FanDuel Sportsbook: 9.5 (T-7th)

2022 Record: 9-8

2022 Points Scored: 453 (5th)

2022 Points Allowed: 427 (T-28th)

2022 Point Differential: +26 (T-9th)

2022 Run-Play Rate: 44.0 percent (14th)

2022 Offensive Snaps: 1,092 (12th)

2022 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 8

Full 2022 Team Stats

2023 Detroit Lions Schedule

Detroit Lions Odds To Win Super Bowl LVIII

• Lions Super Bowl 58 Odds: 22-1

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 1:00 PM ET on July 22, 2023.