Lions’ 41-38 win over Chargers is the stuff fantasy football dreams are made of
For so much of the football season, fantasy managers have been asking where the scoring had gone. Well, apparently, points were being saved for Lions at Chargers in Week 10.
In what is the game with the second-most combined points scored in the NFL this season, the Lions and Chargers combined for 79 points and 954 total yards. The teams were tied four different times, which is significant because at one point the Lions led 24-10.
And for fantasy, this game was a bonanza.
Both quarterbacks went well over 300 passing yards with multiple touchdown passes and each finished in the top eight going into Sunday Night Football. Three — that’s right, THREE! — running backs finished with over 100 scrimmage yards and in the top seven in scoring. A pair of fantasy star wide receivers looked like NBA players going one-on-one, each blowing past 150 receiving yards and hitting pay dirt on the way to a pair of top-four finishes. There was even a top-five finish for a Lions tight end, though not the one expected (hello, Brock Wright).
Our Yahoo Fantasy Week 10 Convictions feature had multiple analysts predicting big things for Lions players, and they delivered. Scott Pianowski and I even centered our weekly debate on this game, and as it turned out we were both right. It was the type of game that fantasy managers both at SoFi Stadium and on television were hoping for overtime, to see how many more points could be rolled up.
Coming into the game, it was divergent storylines for the quarterbacks. Jared Goff was returning to SoFi Stadium, fresh off a bye week with the Lions sitting on the second-best record in the NFC and as the QB12 in fantasy scoring. All he did was connect on 23-of-33 passes and roll up 333 yards and two touchdowns to be the QB7 in a happy return to LA.
It’s been a spectacular rise for Goff, who appeared like a castoff when he was traded from the Rams to the Lions after the 2020 season. Now he’s directing a high-flying offense with one of the most prolific receivers in the game and a tasty rest-of-season schedule. The Lions play just one game outdoors through the end of the fantasy playoffs: in Chicago, Week 14. In those vital Weeks 15-17 he’ll be a must-start, as the Lions host Denver, then go to Minnesota and Dallas in what could be games reminding people of this barn burner.
Getting plenty of attention from Goff will be Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is on an absolute tear that has fantasy managers who drafted him sore from patting themselves on the back. His 8-156-1 line left him as the WR4 on the week and provided a very happy return to Los Angeles for the USC star. St. Brown has now gone over 100 receiving yards in six of his last seven games, and scored three touchdowns in that streak. After looking at Goff’s schedule, do you think he’s poised for a hot finish?
Amon-Ra St. Brown's last 7 games:
6 catches, 102 yards
9 catches, 102 yards
5 catches, 56 yards, TD
12 catches, 124 yards, TD
13 catches, 102 yards
6 catches, 108 yards
8 catches, 156 yards, TD pic.twitter.com/TUvFdO7NUA— NFL (@NFL) November 13, 2023
This was a game where no one deserved to lose, and looking at how Justin Herbert bounced back from his lowest yardage output of the season — 136 passing yards against the Jets last Monday night — it was heartening for the next seven weeks of the fantasy season that Herbert can continue to be a force. With 323 yards and four touchdown passes (one interception), Herbert was spectacular all day on the way to a QB2 finish. He even connected on a fourth-down touchdown with Keenan Allen to knot the game at 38 with 3:34 remaining in the game. The CBS broadcast showed the stat that Herbert has 10 touchdown passes and zero interceptions on fourth down in the past three seasons.
Herbert’s closing kick includes potential shootouts at SoFi Stadium against the Ravens and Lamar Jackson (Week 12), then the Bills and Josh Allen (Week 16). There is also a potential pothole game in Denver, where the Chargers have not won since 2018. Still, who is sitting Herbert? He came into this game the QB7 on the season and may keep climbing.
One player who was with the Chargers the last time they won in the Mile High City is Allen, who was a mixture of spectacular and gutty this afternoon. Getting targeted 14 times, Allen caught 11 for 175 yards and a pair of touchdowns to barely outdistance CeeDee Lamb for WR1 for the week. The second TD came after Allen had gone down with an apparent injury in the third quarter, and it looked like he was questionable to return. This injury is something to be monitored, as the Chargers’ wide receiver corps has been hit hard with injuries. Allen is going to need to be on the field as Herbert’s main safety valve.
Special note for Quentin Johnston, who scored his first NFL touchdown and caught all four of his targets for 34 yards. If the rookie can keep developing that will be huge for fantasy managers who have held on to him in hopes for a second-half spike. Special style points for his touchdown celebration.
Let’s not forget the running backs, who really powered the early portion of this game. David Montgomery returned from his second significant injury of the season and looked as spry as ever when he broke off a 75-yard touchdown run that left a fan in a Barry Sanders jersey extra giddy. With 12 carries for 116 yards to be the RB7, Montgomery is very much going to be a vital part of this offense going forward.
One thing fantasy managers won’t have to worry about is if this backfield can support two running backs.
Jahmyr Gibbs continues to build on his awesome run since he missed two games. Gibbs piled up 117 total yards on 17 touches — including catching three of five targets — and a pair of scores for 24.70 fantasy points and RB1 status before Sunday night. One of his touchdowns came immediately after a spectacular run that showed his power and burst in a manner of seconds:
Gibbs going off for 35!
Watch #DETvsLAC on CBS pic.twitter.com/e8HH8zIfgm— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 12, 2023
The rookie coincidentally preceded his big output Sunday with RB3 and RB2 performances in his last two games. Not a bad climb.
Gibbs is going to be a very important dual threat, as he was the only back who saw any targets in the Lions’ attack on Sunday. He’s not leaving fantasy lineups anytime soon, as the questions about his role in the offense have disappeared with all the big games. Both backs will especially be very busy the next two weeks, as the Bears and Packers, respectively, visit Ford Field.
The Lions came into the game as the third-best defense against running backs in fantasy points per game, so it figured to be a tough outing for Austin Ekeler. He showed that even against a stout unit, Ekeler remains one of the elite running backs in fantasy football.
Running 19 times for 67 yards, Ekeler fought for every hard yard, including his lone touchdown that of course he converted on a fourth-down run, capping off an RB4 week. His 48 yards via the air showed what a dual threat he remains and how far away he is from that ankle injury that knocked him out of three games.
Fantasy managers, Ekeler is in your lineups automatically. His closing kick includes games against the Packers, Patriots, Raiders and Denver (twice), so figure that there will be more top-10 finishes for the Chargers’ star runner — and more fun conversations with our Matt Harmon on Ekeler’s Edge.
Please, can we have more fun carnival games like this one?
