Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaiah Williams caught all four of his targets for a total of 35 yards during Thursday's preseason loss against the New York Giants. Undrafted out of Illinois, Williams is now firmly in the mix for a depth role after a solid showing in Week 1 of the preseason. He showcased considerable quickness and change of direction skills in the loss, even earning a shoutout from head coach Dan Campbell following the game. Williams has less than one month (and two more games) to show the coaching staff why he's worthy of a coveted 53-man roster spot.

Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (undisclosed) was removed from Thursday night's game against the New York Giants to be evaluated in the locker room. Hooker scrambled on a play-action boot and truck-sticked a Giants defender for an impressive 16-yard gain. The drive would stall, though, after his pass was later batted down at the line of scrimmage. After the possession, the second-year quarterback was getting looked at in the medical tent, and he then made his way to the locker room. There have been no further updates from the team, though it is possible he was getting checked for a concussion. He completed five of nine pass attempts for 36 yards and rushed for 34 yards on four attempts in Thursday's win. Hooker is listed as the third-string quarterback on the Lions unofficial depth chart behind Nate Sudfeld and Jared Goff.

Green Bay Packers kickers Greg Joseph and Anders Carlson are in a competition for the starting job in 2024 after the team cut rookie James Turner last week. Carlson, a sixth-round pick last year, struggled at the end of his first year in the NFL, included a missed 41-yard field goal late in the Divisional Round loss to the San Francisco 49ers. It's been a close competition between the two in training camp, but ESPN's Rob Demovsky writes that Joseph has a slight advantage through the early portion based solely on the numbers. Joseph had made 36 of 40 field goals, while Carlson was 33-for-40. Carlson's only miss at practice last Saturday was from 57 yards out, though. Head coach Matt LaFleur anticipates the kicking competition playing out throughout the preseason, so Carlson has time to flip the script.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (hamstring) has been suffering from a hamstring injury which has kept him working on a side field with a trainer. LaPorta missed a second-straight practice on Tuesday, but Lions head coach Dan Campbell stated that he doesn't expect this injury to be a long-term issue. It would be reasonable to assume that LaPorta will miss Thursday's preseason opener against the New York Giants due to this minor injury. The Lions will choose to err on the side of caution with LaPorta, who set the fantasy world ablaze with his fantastic rookie season in 2023. The former Iowa Hawkeye set a rookie record for most receptions by a tight end with 86 last season and should follow with another excellent season in 2024. Many view LaPorta as the top fantasy tight end in fantasy drafts and while he faces stiff competition from Travis Kelce for that title, LaPorta has the slight edge as overall TE1.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell doesn't anticipate quarterback Jared Goff playing in Thursday's preseason opener against the hosting New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. That likely means veteran Nate Sudfeld will absorb a significant chunk of snaps in Thursday's exhibition game, with 2023 first-rounder Hendon Hooker also figuring to get in on the action at some point. Goff is coming off a prolific season for Detroit that saw him rank second in passing yards (4,571) and pass attempts (605) in 17 games, but his complete lack of rushing upside keeps in late-round territory of fantasy drafts this summer. Considering the 29-year-old Pro Bowler has far superior splits when playing at home or indoors in his career, it's worth noting that the Lions will only play three out of 17 contests outdoors in 2024, with the first not arriving until Week 9 in Green Bay against the division-rival Packers.