Bills at Lions
Game Info
Kickoff: Friday, August 23rd at 8:00 pm ET
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Betting Odds: EVEN via Oddsshark
Network: CBS
Buffalo Bills
Final rehearsal for RB trio
There has been a lot of speculation around the Buffalo Bills’ top 3 running backs. A lot of people seem ready to give the job to Devin Singletary to see what he can do, and he has looked good so far with 33 yards on 11 carries and 46 receiving yards on 6 receptions. The team also has two other big names at the position that have proven themselves in both fantasy and the real world, LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore. Both have seen very limited action this preseason, but I expect them to both get work in this game as the team tries to decide how to balance out their run game. There is speculation that one of the veteran backs could be cut when the team trims their roster to 53 but this will be a good opportunity to show what they have left in the tank.
Josh Allen: Stepping forward or back?
Josh Allen is looking to prove the Bills right for taking him in the first round last year. They are giving him every opportunity as he is locked in as the starter, but this year will go a long way toward determining his future in that position. The Bills are not expected to be a top contender this year, but they brought in pieces to help with Allen’s development and they will look for him to improve accordingly. Those pieces include the aforementioned Gore and Singletary as well as possession receiver Cole Beasley and John Brown. Keep an eye on this game to see how Allen distributes his passes heading into a year that could be make-or-break for the young quarterback.
Detroit Lions
New-look offense
There will be a lot to watch for in this game on the offensive side of the ball especially with the Lions. They hired Darrell Bevell as their offensive coordinator this offseason and he is traditionally a run-heavy coordinator, something that will be a little different from Lion’s pass-heavy approach in recent years. Make no mistake about it, the team still has plenty of weapons in the passing game. They return Marvin Jones and Kenny Golladay at receiver, both proven assets that can help your fantasy team as well. The team also signed tight end Jesse James this offseason and doubled down at the position by drafting T.J. Hockenson out of Iowa with the 8th overall pick of the draft. But as I mentioned before, the team is expected to run the ball more this year, a task that most expect to be handled primarily by second-year Kerryon Johnson.
Kerryon the Bellcow?
The days of a three-down back in the NFL are dwindling. Most teams employ some type of committee with a couple of running backs and some even use three or four. I’m not sure that the team is planning to give Kerryon three-down back status just yet, but he is a prime candidate and the team showed that they trust him when they released their long-time running back Theo Riddick earlier this offseason. The team did sign C.J. Anderson but he has run as a clear number two back so far this preseason. Johnson has proven himself in the passing game, averaged 5.4 yards per carry last season, and at this point, the only question is whether or not he can stay healthy for an entire season. This game will give us a good idea of just how much the Lions are willing to put on Johnson’s shoulders this season.
-Dave Lathrop (@DaveLathropQBL)