Getty D.J. Chark gestures to fans after scoring a touchdown in 2019.
The Detroit Lions needed to make a big play on the market this offseason at wideout, and the name they managed to settle on to help in getting that done was DJ Chark.
Chark is seen as an underrated talent in the league, and that’s especially true heading into the coming season. That might be even more true in fantasy football circles for folks looking for a value that could deliver.
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Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox took a closer look at picking out sleeper players for fantasy football this season, and Chark was one of eight players to make the cut for him ahead of the 2022 season. As Knox wrote, Chark could become a steal thanks to the numbers he has already put up in the league, which are sneaky good.
“If Chark is back to 100 percent by Week 1, he could be a steal late in drafts. He was a Pro Bowler and a 1,000-yard receiver with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 and has notched 15 touchdown receptions over his last three seasons,” Knox said.
Specifically, though, Knox discussed why Chark could impress almost immediately in Detroit. As he admitted, the roster situation could dictate that given who the Lions are waiting on at the position.
“Chark could be particularly valuable as an early-season streamer if Williams hasn’t recovered. The Alabama product suffered a torn ACL in the national championship game and isn’t expected to be ready for training camp,” he wrote.
With a fantasy lens or not, this is a good analysis to remember for Detroit’s offense. Williams figures to be on the shelf for a while, and when he is, the Lions will be likely to turn to Chark to recoup some of that production they will miss. That sets up a situation where Chark could see major attention during the first half or at the very least first quarter of the season while Williams gets back on the field.
Chark is a name to remember in Detroit the rest of this offseason and into 2022. He figures to get a lot of play early on, which means he is not worth forgetting about in fantasy as well as reality.
Chark Will Benefit Lions Offense
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Chark get off to a great start and then maintain momentum. Detroit badly needed a big-bodied pass catcher that is a bonafide deep threat and Chark is that. He has proven before with his work in the league that he is a player capable of going up and getting the ball vertically, which is what the Lions have missed in a big way in the offense last year. Chark could help open up Detroit’s offense in that he will give Goff a vertical threat to throw the ball to deep down the field. In 2019, Chark was a Pro Bowler, but if he has struggled with anything in is career, it’s been injuries. Last year, he was lost with an ankle injury which cost him the end of his 2021 season.
With Williams set to be on the shelf for at least the short-term in 2022, that means Chark figures to be the guy who receives a lot of attention and perhaps a lot of play. That, combined with his talent, should set Chark up for some potential good things.
Chark could become one of the better wideouts in the league in 2022, and a player who is an underrated find for the Lions.
Chark’s Career Stats & Highlights
There’s reason to say Chark could turn out to be a star right away during the 2022 season. It’s easy to like his game as a former Pro Bowl player, and the Lions have managed to find a player who has a big body that can make catches in traffic. Chark is that guy, and has been for some time in Jacksonville. He could be earning himself a nice pay bump as a result. Chark came into the league in 2018 as a second-round pick out of LSU and was a 2019 Pro Bowl player. Statistically, he’s been solid as well with 2,042 yards and 15 touchdowns thus far in his career. Here’s a look at some of his best plays so far:
The Lions needed a player who can make a big catch in the red zone or down the field in a contested manner. Chark is their guy to do just that and more, and could be one of the sneaky top players given the situation he is working with.
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