Detroit Lions DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (head) completed five of nine passes for 36 yards during Thursday's preseason opener against the New York Giants. He was also productive on the ground, rushing four times for a team-leading 34 yards on the ground. Nearly half of his yardage came on a 16-yard run, which was the Lions' biggest gain on the ground in their loss to New York. On a more negative note, Hooker departed the game in the second half and has since entered concussion protocol. It remains to be seen if he'll miss additional time and whether an extended absence could spoil his chance of winning the backup quarterback job over Nate Sudfeld.

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.

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.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (toe) did not participate in the team's joint practice with the New York Giants on Monday, as he is reportedly dealing with a toe injury. However, head coach Dan Campbell said the ailment is not a concern. At this point in the offseason, teams are likely to be extra cautious with their key players, but this should not ding LaPorta's standing ahead of the 2024 fantasy football season. The 2023 second-round pick out of Iowa set the record for the most receptions by a rookie tight end (86) last season and finished the year as the overall TE1. Detroit failed to add significant pass-catching weapons behind star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown this offseason, so many view LaPorta as the clear TE1 in upcoming fantasy drafts.