Scheme and Metrics fantasy team preview- we'll take a look at each of the 32 teams and look at a combination of offensive scheme/philosophy and some player metrics to give us something else to think about when drafting our fantasy squads this summer. In this edition, we'll look at the Detroit Lions.

The system/scheme

• The biggest problem with the Lions is that HC Matt Patricia made them a run-first team last year, resulting in them going 6-10. They played caveman offense and ignored analytics, which is why Matthew Stafford had such a poor fantasy season. The fact that they didn't pass on running downs when the defensive alignments were favorable to the pass put them in too many unfavorable situations. To make matters worse, Patricia said he still believes in the running game being the key the successful teams, so it's unlikely he'll change course, and this will probably make the passing attack very inconsistent despite it being the strength of their personnel.

Metrics

• Kerryon Johnson has above-average speed and agility to go with a 93rd-percentile explosiveness, and the Lions added 2 TEs this offseason after shoring up the OL the past 3 years, so they could run lots of 2 TE sets to spark Johnson as the leader of the offense.

• Kenny Golladay has 92nd-percentile speed with above average agility to go with a high-end catch radius, and he should be the alpha WR for the Lions after showing signs of breaking out in 2018.

• T.J. Hockenson should we a full-time player as a rookie because he's a strong blocker, in addition to having receiving skills- his explosion and agility are in the 88th-percentile in addition to 74th-percentile speed.

Positive Spin

• The defense becomes really bad, and the coaching staff is forced to let Matthew Stafford do his job and be the engine that runs the offense, keeping the team from going with their archaic offensive approach of establishing the run.

Negative Spin

• Matt Patricia's plan of playing strong defense and running the ball allows them to keep games low scoring, and the only player to reach his potential is Kerryon Johnson. And the reason he's successful is that the team runs plenty of 12 personnel while also throwing the ball to Johnson frequently on early downs. Stafford and the WRs don't see enough volume to be strong and reliable weekly fantasy stars.

My advice-

• Matthew Stafford is an excellent QB, but unfortunately, if Patricia has his way, Stafford will be a game manager. In an era of heavy passing attacks, he won't likely get the volume needed to be a fantasy starter, and he also doesn't add any rushing production to offset his potential lack of passing attempts, so I'll pass on him as a starting option.

• Since Johnson was used as a receiver out of the backfield last year as well as being a strong runner, I expect him to frequently play on third downs, making him a steal at his ADP as the 20^th RB off the board. But now with Theo Riddick gone, Johnson will likely begin to be drafted in the RB12-15 range, and I'll still be happy drafting there as long as I don't have a player who's rated higher on my draft board at that spot.

• Kenny Golladay is one of my favorite young WRs in the league, but with the expectation of a run-heavy offense combined with his being selected as the 18^th WR, I don't see the value in taking him at ADP. He would need the defense to fall apart to get the volume he'd need to be a value pick. He'll still be a very good fantasy player, but he'll likely have too many down weeks, due to volume, to be worth that high draft pick.

• Again, do to coaching and offensive philosophy, but I don't feel I can trust Stafford, Marvin Jones and Hockenson unless they fall very late in drafts and I need depth at those positions.