Skip to main content
Come Fan with UsSunday, June 21, 2026

Matthew Stafford has huge game for Lions, fantasy owners

A week after being benched, the Detroit quarterback showed flashes of his former highs. We break down the fantasy implications.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was benched for cause in Week 5, looking like a guy who had no business lining up behind center in the NFL. That same guy was a fantasy monster in Week 6, throwing for more than 400 yards in the Lions’ 37-34 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears, the Lions’ first win of the year.

Stafford was 27-of-42 passing in the game for 405 yards, with four touchdowns and an interception. He added six carries for 37 yards. It was Stafford’s best game of 2015 by almost any measurement.

Fantasy impact: Stafford was never really at a risk for losing his starting job to Dan Orlovsky, because Dan Orlovsky is Dan Orlovsky, but he was fading from the fantasy landscape with a quickness. The quarterback hadn’t thrown for more than 300 yards in a game all season, and had only gone over 250 twice.

Facing the Bears can definitely be a get-right game for a struggling quarterback, and it was for Stafford. We have to pay attention to him again, but let’s see how he does in Week 7, when the Lions host the Minnesota Vikings, before buying all the way back in.

NFL
Best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 18Best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 18
NFL

Tyler Shough, Bill Croskey-Merritt, and Parker Washington highlight the top waiver wire targets entering Week 18.

By Nick Simon
NFL
Brock Purdy start or sit: Week 17 fantasy football adviceBrock Purdy start or sit: Week 17 fantasy football advice
NFL

We break down the fantasy football outlook of Brock Purdy ahead of the 49ers’ Week 17 matchup vs. the Bears.

By Nick Simon
NFL
Best fantasy football QB waiver wire pickups for Week 17Best fantasy football QB waiver wire pickups for Week 17
NFL

Trevor Lawrence, Sam Darnold highlight the top waiver wire quarterback targets entering Week 17.

By Nick Simon
NFL
Best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 17Best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 17
NFL

Trevor Lawrence, Sam Darnold, and Blake Corum highlight the top waiver wire targets entering Week 17.

By Nick Simon
NFL
Best DFS picks for Rams at Seahawks in Week 16Best DFS picks for Rams at Seahawks in Week 16
NFL

Nick Simon brings you his favorite picks for FanDuel’s Thursday night single-game DFS contests.

By Nick Simon
NFL
Best fantasy football QB waiver wire pickups for Week 16Best fantasy football QB waiver wire pickups for Week 16
NFL

Trevor Lawrence, Jacoby Brissett highlight the top waiver wire quarterback targets entering Week 16.

By Nick Simon