Lions Defense
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Lions Defense
Defensive Coordinator: Gunther Cunningham
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Fantasy Football Outlook: The Lions remain an interesting defense but are probably better suited to be an option off the wavier wire at this point. A few years ago it looked like this group was on the same path that we see the Bengals defense playing at today, an opportunistic top five fantasy defense.
Character concerns and four games in all against the Bears and Packers each season haven’t helped them. Even the Vikings have given Detroit fits at times, and we can’t rely on this group weekly, until the secondary improves.
| Sacks | Int’s | Fumbles | Avg PA | |
| 2013 Projected Stats | 34 | 14 | 16 | 26.5 |
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Summer of 2012: Fantasy Projections
The Lions finally had the breakout year we’ve hoped would come in the past. Detroit’s defense will be a fantasy factor, as the front seven will remain strong, but I have questions about them at corner.
Say what you will about Eric Wright, but he was the top corner on this team last year, and now that he’s with the Buccaneers, I have to wonder if this group is worth using against respectable quarterbacks?
Look to rookie corner Dwight Bentley as an up and coming starter on this team in the future, as he should come along and play well in sub-packages, early on.
The Lions defense is worth talking on draft day as one of the low end start-worthy options, but you will want to use them in a heavy matchup rotation.
Summer of 2011: Fantasy Projections
If the Lions secondary is up for playing close to average, this front line is going to give opposing quarterbacks’ nightmares as they added another first round talent in defensive tackle Nick Fairley this spring. Adding Fairley to a front to play next to one of the games already great tackles in second year Ndamukong Suhshould make this team tough to stop on the front line for many years to come.I look to the Lions as an interesting team defense on the rise, but I don’t see them as a start worth option because the secondary is in great need of an upgrade. That should happen to some degree in free agency, but we need to see this defense gel in the regular season. At this time, the Lions make for a nice pickup off the waiver wire when they play a weak passing offense.
8/2011 Update: The Lions did a nice job in free agency by landing linebackers Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant. While the Lions will continue to struggle at times against the pass, their front seven is great, and they will make plays.
| Sacks | Int’s | Fumbles | Avg PA | |
| 2011 Projected Stats | 46 | 13 | 17 | 22.6 |
June 2011
If the Lions secondary is up for playing close to average, this front line is going to give opposing quarterbacks’ nightmares as they added another first round talent in defensive tackle Nick Fairley this spring. Adding Fairley to a front to play next to one of the games already great tackles in second year Ndamukong Suh should make this team tough to stop on the front line for many years to come.
I look to the Lions as an interesting team defense on the rise, but I don’t see them as a start worth option because the secondary is in great need of an upgrade. That should happen to some degree in free agency, but we need to see this defense gel in the regular season. At this time, the Lions make for a nice pickup off the waiver wire when they play a weak passing offense.
2010 Preview
The Lions need a lot of help on defense and in the early part of free agency they’ve received that help. Signing defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and trading for defensive tackle Corey Williams will greatly improve a struggling defensive line. Now, the Lions have the luxury of adding a big time defensive tackle or getting the best offensive lineman with the second pick in the NFL draft.
2010 Fantasy Football Outlook
2009 Fantasy Year In Review: Last year was another horrible season for the Lions’ defense overall as the continued to struggle with teams making big plays against them. For the year, they finished 28th against the run and dead last in points given up and against the pass.
Audio: Lions Team Defense | 2010 NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings
2010 NFL Fantasy Football Player Rankings: The Lions have made some noise this offseason as they picked up defensive tackle Corey Williams in a trade and signed Kyle Vanden Bosh in free agency. To top that off, they got maybe the best player in this years’ draft in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh from Nebraska.
These three key additions will make the Lions much improved on the defensive line and that is an exciting thing heading into the season. Still, this defense has much to be desired in the secondary as their most notable acquisition was in a trade for Falcons’ corner Chris Houston.
Houston should be an upgrade but that isn’t saying much when you consider the Falcons were 28th against the pass last year. Opposite Houston the team may end up using third round pick Amari Spivey as their other starting corner back and that isn’t a good thing for 2010.
As we are in early June the team is heavily considering picking up safety O.J. Atogwe, and if they get him that would be a very nice pickup. Atogwe is one of the good defensive players the Rams actually have, and it would be ridiculous to see them let him go but it looks like it might happen.
Don’t expect the Lions to be a fantasy worthy group this year, but they are on the rise and they could be a winning team in a couple of years henceforth.
Assets
- Good Front Line
Liabilities
- Horrible Against The Pass
- Need More Turnovers
- Need More Sacks
More Fantasy Football Player Info About The Lions Team Defense
Lions Defense | D/ ST
Points 30.9 (32nd) | Pass 265 (32nd) | Run 128 (28th) |
Sacks 26 | Int 9 | FF 18 | TD: D 3 | ST 0
Defensive Style: 4-3
Bye Week Conflicts (WK 7): Jets, Colts, Texans
For more information about the Lions team defense feel free to checkout our cheatsheet and mock draft pages of the website. Throughout the summer, you can find valuable information about all players that we have ranked for different leagues and where players are being selected in our monthly mock drafts.
Fantasy Football Information’s Cheatsheets
Fantasy Football Information’s Mock Drafts

The Schedule For The Lions Team Defense Found Below.

Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | Kickers | Team Defense / ST