The Detroit Lions’ offense has been among the NFL’s finest during each of the past four seasons.
That included the 2025 campaign, where the Lions’ offense ranked tied-fourth in scoring offense (28.3 points per game), fifth in total offense (373.2 yards per game), third in passing offense (253.1 passing yards per game) and 14th in rushing offense (120.1 rushing yards per game).
Detroit sensed something was amiss, though. The Lions stripped John Morton of his offensive play-calling duties midway through last season and then fired Morton after the 2025 campaign concluded.
After a nearly two-week search, the Lions hired former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing as its new OC. There’s optimism that Petzing can be a perfect fit in the Motor City. In its ranking of new offensive play-callers across the NFL for fantasy football, Petzing was ranked as the No. 2 new offensive play-caller for fantasy football by CBS’ Dave Richard.
CBS also thinks Petzing will be a perfect fantasy football fit for one Lions offensive weapon.
Petzing was, at worst, top-six in multi-TE personnel sets in each of his three years in Arizona and his tight ends saw at least a 33.1% target share annually. His running backs had a target share of at least 18.2% in each of the past two seasons, while wideouts didn’t reach a 48% target share in either of the past two seasons. Was this Petzing building around the strength of his best players (in this case, Trey McBride) as his M.O. suggests, or was it because Petzing is just locked into tight ends being a pass-game staple?…
There’s just too much evidence to believe in Sam LaPorta. Petzing’s sky-high usage of multiple-TE sets will keep him on the field a lot. Under Petzing, McBride went from 6.2 to 9.9 targets per game from 2023-25, with his PPR production also jumping from 10.7 to 18.9 points per game in that span. In the 24 career games LaPorta has seen six-plus targets, he’s scored 10-plus PPR points 21 times and 13-plus PPR points 18 times. That’s a wow. – Dave Richard, CBS
CBS noted that in those 24 games where LaPorta registered six-plus targets, Jameson Williams’ looks decreased. There have only been 10 games where both LaPorta and Williams had six-plus targets.
But, that’s part of what happens naturally for an offense with as many weapons as the Lions possess. Everyone wants targets and carries. Detroit’s offense features LaPorta and Williams alongside running back Jahmyr Gibbs, receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and rising receiver Isaac TeSlaa.
That’s a lot of weapons to get the football to. Obviously, that’s a great problem to have and it’s why CBS expects the Lions’ offense to put up a bunch of points again in 2026.
For those making fantasy football decisions, though, LaPorta is viewed as a sneaky TE1 option that should thrive in Petzing’s offense.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: New Lions OC expected to ignite Detroit star’s fantasy football value
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Josh Helmer, Lions Wire | USA TODAY Network
