Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi was noncommittal when asked if Ameer Abdullah had passed Joique Bell on the depth chart.
Ameer Abdullah may now be Lions’ lead back, high upside remains in fantasy leagues
The rookie running back may be forcing his coaches’ hands in naming a new starter in the backfield. We break down the fantasy implications.
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“Well see,” is all Lombardi said, per Kyle Meinke of MLive Media Group. Yet, if Week 1’s splits were any indication of Abdullah’s usage, he’s already ahead of Bell. Abdullah had more touches and snaps and looked electric in the process, even though Bell started the game.
Fantasy Spin: It would still be bold to assume Abdullah will out-touch Bell, because there are other contributing factors that led to his prominence. Game flow will always affect split backfields, and it’s possible that coaches just wanted to ease Bell into action after missing all of preseason.
Abdullah made the most of his opportunity, and at the very least, he is making it difficult for Lombardi and head coach Jim Caldwell to keep him on the bench. It’s not out of the realm of reason to expect Abdullah to be the prominent running back by season’s end, but it would be bold to assume that it will be the case in Week 2.
Fantasy owners should exercise caution and treat the rookie as a flex option with considerable upside.
