Getty D'Andre Swift playing for the Bulldogs in 2019.
The Detroit Lions selected a potential dynamite player when they picked up D’Andre Swift in the 2020 NFL Draft, and if some recent stat projections are any indication, the team could have gotten very lucky to add Swift to the squad.
This year, Swift is expected to play a huge role for the Lions in the backfield. As part of that role, Swift could see a ton of carries and put up some impressive numbers in his rookie season in the league. That’s just the kind of impact Pro Football Focus sees.
Swift is projected to rack up 179 fantasy points this season by PFF. That would represent the second highest total out of the entire rookie class behind only Clyde Edwards-Helaire of the Chiefs. Here’s a look at some of the projected totals:
They got next 💪
Obviously, the Lions are going to work to establish the run in a big way this season and Swift figures to be a huge part of that plan. How much of an impact he ends up making could be determined by what the team’s offense looks like, although this projection would be a good one for the team.
Detroit got better at running the ball under Darrell Bevell in 2019, and with an improved offensive line and health, figure to be even better this coming season. If Swift is able to deliver a season like this in fantasy terms, he might just be positioned to be in play for Rookie of the Year honors in the league.
This is just the type of season Lions fans want to see.
Lions Credited For D’Andre Swift Addition
Following the draft finishing up, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com took a look at some of the biggest themes from every team’s performance. When it came to the Lions, it was obvious there was a serious theme and it had everything to do with getting tougher in the trenches and improving what has been a severely weak running game.
Rosenthal wrote:
“From the selection of running back D’Andre Swift this year and Kerryon Johnson in 2018 to the interior line picks that GM Bob Quinn has made in the last few years, the Lions have invested a lot of capital in improving their running game — but they have yet to see great results. Quinn needs that vision to come together this season. Swift is the type of talent who can put the team’s running game over the top.”
With Kerryon Johnson, Bo Scarbrough and now D’Andre Swift, the Lions have a loaded backfield of former SEC standouts. More than that, the team was able to add guards to their stable in Jonah Jackson as well as Logan Stenberg, affectionately known as “Mr. Nasty.” Those players will try and change the narrative that the team simply can’t run the ball. If a ground game is like a mindset, the Lions have changed their mind more than a bit.
Following the draft, general manager Bob Quinn admitted that his team wants to change how they are viewed and get more physical up front. That will now be the goal heading into 2020.
D’Andre Swift Stats
Arguably the best runner on the board and a player who many figured would go off the board in the first round, Swift is a hard charging back out of Georgia who was tough in his career playing in the SEC. With 2,885 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career, there is little doubting how well Swift would do at toting the rock and fitting in well within Detroit’s backfield situation.
Swift coming from the SEC will be huge for him in terms of being able to fit in seamlessly to the team. Georgia has put a lot of great runners into the league lately, and the hope for Swift is that he can join the squad and become the next runner that follows in the footsteps of players like Todd Gurley, Sony Michel and Nick Chubb. All of them have become great, and Swift could be next. He could help Detroit’s ground game over the top in the process.
This rookie season could be a big one for Swift if these productions come true.
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