Is Denzel Mims A Good Fit For The Lions? Fantasy Football Outlook

The New York Jets agreed to trade former second-round pick Denzel Mims to the Detroit Lions. The 25-year-old wideout was never productive for New York, so he gets a change of scenery on an ascending Lions' offense.

While it's easy to write him off after three quiet years in the NFL, there could be targets up for grabs in Detroit, and the team decided to trade for him rather than wait for him to be released. That said, they'll likely give him a real chance to climb the depth chart.

Is Mims a good fit with the Lions? What is his 2023 fantasy outlook? Let's dive in.

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Denzel Mims Career Review

As a rookie in 2020, Mims caught 23 of his 44 targets for 357 yards and zero touchdowns. It wasn't a spectacular season, but the Jets offense led by Sam Darnold was putrid. However, things got worse after his debut campaign. Over the last two seasons combined, Mims hauled in just 19 of his 48 targets for 319 yards and zero touchdowns.

Heading into his fourth year, the Jets have Garrett Wilson, Corey Davis, Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman Jr., and Randall Cobb on the roster, so the team didn't feel the need to keep him around. The Lions acquired Mims and a seventh-round pick in 2025 from the Jets in exchange for a conditional sixth-rounder. Several teams were interested in trading for Mims, including the Patriots, Steelers, and Cowboys, but it was the Lions who landed him.

Mims gets a fresh start in one of the best offenses in the NFL.

Denzel Mims 2023 Fantasy Outlook

Mims won't be worth drafting in traditional 12-team leagues, but there is a chance he can reignite his career in the early part of the 2023 season. Jameson Williams will miss the first six games after violating the league's gambling policy, and Josh Reynolds, Marvin Jones Jr., and Kalif Raymond don't present fierce competition. That said, playing time may not be too difficult to earn.

The odds are still stacked against him since the team that drafted him early in the 2020 NFL Draft has given up on him, but fantasy managers in deep leagues should at least keep him slightly on the fantasy radar.

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