Where Lions might land in fantasy football drafts

With training camp fast approaching, we are quickly nearing draft season for fantasy football leagues. I'm sure some leagues have already had their fantasy drafts, but for those that haven't, mock draft season is already underway.

Based on the various mock drafts that have been held so far, we can get an idea of where players are going to be picked in fantasy football leagues. On Fantasy Football Calculator, for example, there is a list of average draft position for 222 players. This information is based on more than 800 mock drafts that have taken place in recent days, and it can be customized based on the type of league you play in and how many teams are in it.

Let's take a look at the average draft position for Detroit Lions players in 12-team standard leagues:

17. WR Calvin Johnson (second round)
53. WR Golden Tate (fifth round)
60. RB Joique Bell (fifth round)
65. RB Ameer Abdullah (sixth round)
90. QB Matthew Stafford (eighth round)
199. TE Eric Ebron (14th round)
211. D/ST Detroit (14th round)
213. K Matt Prater (15th round)

(Note: The round listed is based on the average pick for each player, not their overall ranking.)

I'm a bit surprised the Lions' running backs are so low considering the team has put such an emphasis on improving the run game this offseason. Then again, with the uncertainty surrounding Joique Bell's health and how many touches Ameer Abdullah will get, I suppose there may be more established options available earlier in the draft.

I'm also a bit surprised Matthew Stafford is going as late as he is. I know he didn't have as explosive of a season as usual in 2014, but he still seems like a safe bet to put up some pretty solid fantasy numbers on a regular basis. Of course, if the Lions are trying to become a more balanced team on offense, Stafford's numbers could drop even more, but his upside is pretty high for being an eighth-round pick.

What jumps out to you about these rankings?