Team news: Detroit Lions | Page 3

Steelers have everyone status quo or updated on today’s injury report except Isaac Seumalo (DNP again) and Diontae Johnson, who missed with a knee injury. TJ Watt (full) and Alex Highsmith (limited) remain on track. Najee Harris and Damontae Kazee were full participants.

Related Players: George Pickens, Pat Freiermuth, Allen Robinson

Johnson has been very unproductive since his first three games off the IR, topping 50 yards receiving only once in the last five games (57 yards last week). His catch rate has plummeted to 56.1%, which ranks 90th out of 100 qualifying receivers.
George Pickens was routinely productive while Johnson was sidelined, and has four games with 80+ receiving yards on the season. He would get a nice bump if his teammate were to miss Week 15.

Jameson Williams has not had more than two touches in any of the nine games he’s played this season and he had just one carry and one ball thrown his way on 38 offensive snaps in Sunday’s 28-13 loss to the Bears.

“We’ll keep working with him,” HC Dan Campbell said, via the team’s website. “He’s improving. We’ll keep working to find some different ways to get him more involved because he is putting the work in and improving . . . he’s earned that.”

Williams scored on a 19-yard run last week vs. the Saints, a few weeks after he sparked a comeback against the Bears with a 32-yard touchdown catch in Week 11, so questions for Campbell about why Williams isn’t a bigger part of the offense were all but inevitable on Monday, the story went on to say. It's potentially good news for his owners but now that it's playoff time he probably shouldn't be trusted in lineups just yet, so the wait-and-see approach should be taken.

Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) is out again Sunday, while WR George Pickens (shin) fully participated today and is good to go against the Bengals.

Related Players: Diontae Johnson, Allen Robinson

Pickens' target participation has predictably plummeted since the return of Diontae Johnson, and he has 104 total receiving yards in his last four games combined. Will new OC Eddie Faulkner get Pickens going in Week 12? It's possible, but he can't be trusted as more than a FLEX play at this point.

Lions RB David Montgomery (ribs) does not have an injury designation for Sunday, and he will play.

Related Players: Jahmyr Gibbs

Gibbs has been fantastic with his given opportunities, but Dan Cambell has made it abundantly clear that the team would prefer to move the ball through Montgomery in the early downs and near the goal line. Both will be RB2 options when sharing the field.

Lions RB David Montgomery (ribs) was a full participant for Wednesday's practice estimation.

Related Players: Jahmyr Gibbs

Gibbs has been fantastic with his given opportunities, but Dan Cambell has made it abundantly clear that the team would prefer to move the ball through Montgomery in the early downs and near the goal line. Both will be RB2 options when sharing the field.

For much of this season, the Lions haven’t needed to decide how to split snaps between running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs because the two haven’t been healthy at the same time. But that’s about to change, and Lions head coach Dan Campbell says both players will get plenty of opportunities.

Montgomery appears likely to return from his rib injury Sunday against the Chargers, and Gibbs is coming off his best game last week against the Raiders, the story said. When healthy, Montgomery has been the starter, and it appears that will remain the case for the rest of the season, the story added. The story also speculated Gibbs’ breakout game against the Raiders likely means he’ll get close to an equal workload going forward.

Browns trade Donovan Peoples-Jones to Detroit for 6th round pick.

Related players: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, Cedric Tillman, Marquise Goodwin

Peoples-Jones is just 24 but one can argue moves to a team with a more crowded receiver room than the one he came from. DPJ was the Browns WR3 but hasn't had nearly the impact he had in 2022. It would be tough to see DPJ having that impact on the Lions, however, one can argue there isn't much consistency behind St. Brown. DPJ will at least bring some size to the Lions and could possibly carve out a role in the red zone. As far as Cleveland goes, it could mean the rookie Tillman or Goodwin eventually see more snaps as the team's WR3.

Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown was added to the injury report Sunday with an illness.

St. Brown was listed as questionable, but is expected to play tonight against the Raiders, per source, Pelissero's post said. Several players have been battling illness over the last week.

The Lions officially ruled out RB David Montgomery for Week 8 against the Raiders.

This was expected after Montgomery has yet to return to practice. The Lions were always likely to rest Montgomery this week with their bye week coming in Week 9. Jahmyr Gibbs became more involved in the offense with Montgomery out last week and should expect the same in what should be a much better matchup this week against the Raiders compared to last week against the Ravens. Gibbs is a strong play this week while Craig Reynolds is a deep flex option.

Diontae Johnson popped up today as a DNP with a hamstring injury. That's not good news.

Related Players: George Pickens, Allen Robinson, Calvin Austin III

Upsetting news, so fresh off the IR. Pickens began to pop when Johnson was away from the field, but there's an argument to be made that Johnson could help Pickens truly hit some upside potential down field with both playing. Robinson and Austin are nominally interesting in deep leagues for desperate owners.