The Detroit Lions are the only team in the NFL yet to secure a victory this season, and the fantasy impact has been felt in disappointing outings for most of their stars. That should change this week with Ameer Abdullah expected to get the majority of touches at running back. Joique Bell is officially ruled out with an ankle injury which adds more value to the upside of Abdullah.
Abdullah is one of the more talented rookies in the NFL but has yet to showcase his promise. This week he should see a breakout game, as the Lions are desperate for their first win and need to try committing to the run more than they have in the past few games. Bell was also ruled out last week, and the Lions failed to see a spike in Abdullah’s production. However, that was against the elite Seattle Seahawks defense.
The matchup this week against the Arizona Cardinals defense isn’t great either, but they aren’t as dominant as Seattle. Abdullah’s receiving skills will be the most important facet to his value with Matthew Stafford having a poor start to the season. Expect a lot of short passes and a more committed approach to feeding Abdullah as the Lions try to pull off the upset at home.