Sam LaPorta’s absence on Thursday due to an injury creates a short-term shift in Detroit’s passing game, but the injury isn’t expected to be serious. After a standout rookie season, LaPorta’s 2024 dip has been attributed in part to Jameson Williams’ breakout and Amon-Ra St. Brown’s continued dominance as Jared Goff’s top target. In the meantime, Williams, St. Brown, and the veteran receivers will shoulder a larger share of targets as the Lions navigate the joint practice with the Dolphins. Lions coaches also welcomed back Terrion Arnold, Pat O’Connor, Tom Kennedy, and Dominic Lovett, signaling a more complete roster return, while Kerby Joseph remains out with an undisclosed issue and Giovanni Manu, Tim Patrick, and Malik Taylor missed practice. The chatter around Za’Darius Smith adds a wrinkle to divisional talks, but Detroit appears focused on internal depth and continuity while the practice scene with Miami unfolds. The short-term implication for fantasy is clear: if LaPorta’s absence lingers, Williams and St. Brown could see even more volume, and Lovett or Lovett-adjacent depth could offer a late-season upside consideration for managers looking to exploit depth at wide receiver behind the Lions’ top targets.

Detroit’s joint practice with Miami showed the Lions thriving on defense and punching back on offense in a high- tempo session. Hutchinson led the way with pressure and sacks, while the unit as a whole bottled up Tua Tagovailoa in the pocket. Jared Goff looked sharp, threading throws into tight windows and pairing with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams for impressive red-zone and big-play moments. The Dolphins dealt with some live-action bumps—Chop Robinson’s spin move failed against Sewell, and there were a few skirmishes—but the Lions emerged with clear fantasy takeaways: the defense is elite, the pass rush is relentless, and Lions receivers—especially St. Brown and Williams—look poised for a feature-season boost.

Detroit’s 17-10 win over Atlanta in the preseason produced a strong grade sheet from Pro Football Focus, with Kyle Allen leading the offense at 86.5 and Ronnie Bell, Jackson Meeks each cracking 83+ as reliable playmakers. Kingsley Eguakun joined the top group up front, while Morice Norris’ injury pause drew attention to the team’s health depth. On defense, Nate Lynn led the way with an elite 89.9, Zach Cunningham at 86.5 and Rock Ya-Sin at 78.1, complemented by Nick Whiteside at 84.6 and Trevor Nowaske at 75.2. The bottom five on offense featured Kayode Awosika, Mason Miller, Kenny Yeboah, Giovanni Manu and Shane Zylstra, while the defense sank with Chris Smith, Isaac Ukwu, Mitchell Agude, Erick Hallett and Ezekiel Turner. Overall tops were Lynn, Allen, Cunningham, Whiteside and Meeks, and the top units highlighted Tackling, Pass Game, Receiving, Offense and Coverage in that order. The night also included a scare for Norris, who later received a positive update, underlining the real stakes of the showcase. This grading snapshot helps fantasy managers gauge depth and potential breakout players from Detroit’s sophomore-heavy depth chart.