Detroit Lions DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (foot) has been designated to return from the injured reserve on Thursday. Raymond has been out of action since suffering a foot injury in late-November. He returned to practice as a full participant on Thursday. It appears the 30-year-old is trending in the right direction ahead of Monday's game against the San Francisco 49ers. He'll likely need to get through a few more practice sessions before the Lions decide to clear him for game action. If active, Raymond won't be a recommended streaming option as he has basically been depth throughout the season. He doesn't offer enough upside to start in any formats in Week 17.

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is coming out of retirement and is expected to sign with the Detroit Lions, according to sources. Bridgewater will return to Detroit after serving as Jared Goff's backup last season. The 32-year-old veteran signal-caller only appeared in one game in 2023 and didn't attempt a single pass. The year before with the Miami Dolphins, he went 49-for-79 for 683 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions in five games (two starts). Bridgewater will most likely join the Lions' practice squad initially but could eventually join the 53-man active roster alongside Hendon Hooker as insurance behind Goff for the postseason. Given the time that Bridgewater has been away from the game the past year, we'd be surprised if he'd suddenly become the QB2 for Detroit when postseason action begins.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick could not bring in his lone target in his team's 34-17 win over the Chicago Bears in Week 16. Patrick saw his snaps tick down in this one -- falling under 45 total for the first time since Week 12 (42). It was a disappointing effort from the 31-year-old in a high-scoring outing for his squad, particularly after picking up 15 targets and three touchdowns over his last two games. However, his services were not required, with Detroit jumping out to an early lead over their rivals. It's possible he'll be more involved next week in a meeting with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. Still, it's fair to wonder what their starting lineup will be like with San Fran being eliminated from playoff contention. The Lions, though, are still fighting for their division and first place in the NFC. They project to be out in full force for the contest.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta found the end zone once again against Chicago as the Lions defeated the Bears 34-17 on Sunday afternoon. LaPorta caught four passes for 43 yards and a touchdown. He hauled in a 21-yard touchdown pass on a memorable fake which saw quarterback Jared Goff stumble and running back Jahmyr Gibbs dive on the ground as if the ball had been fumbled. Goff then regained his feet and threw a dart to LaPorta for the touchdown in what appeared to be a planned misdirection. Last game against the Bears in Detroit in Week 13, LaPorta scored two touchdowns and he was able to add another one this week in Chicago.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown hauled in six passes for 70 receiving yards and a touchdown in a Week 16 victory at the Chicago Bears. St. Brown did not have one of his boom games but was productive in the team's 34-17 win. A week after seeing a season-high 18 targets, St. Brown was targeted eight times by Jared Goff against the Bears and was able to haul in an 8-yard touchdown catch. He didn't see the volume in this one but made the most of his targets and found the end zone to reward fantasy playoff managers.