Week 7 – Eric Ebron vs. New Orleans Saints
Last Sunday in Minnesota was another disappointing fantasy day for Eric Ebron owners, as he finished with only two catches for 24 yards in the win. Without Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush, Detroit leaned heavily on its defense to secure the victory. Ebron has just 10 receptions for 103 yards and a TD in his rookie season – far less than what was expected. He’ll likely become a more potent weapon as time goes on, but he’s too risky to start now, even with Johnson out of the lineup.
Week 6 – Eric Ebron vs. Minnesota Vikings
It was a disappointing outing for Eric Ebron last Sunday versus Buffalo as the rookie TE finished with only two receptions for eight yards. Calvin Johnson was limited due to a sore ankle and it was anticipated that Eric would be able to help out the Detroit passing game, but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Matthew Stafford and the Lions are a much different team when Megatron is healthy, so be cautious about starting Ebron on Sunday at Minnesota.
Week 5 – Eric Ebron vs. Buffalo Bills
In the win over the Jets last week, Eric Ebron caught his first NFL TD – a 16-yard second quarter toss from Matthew Stafford. Ebron finished the afternoon with three receptions for 34 yards. It was the second game in which he caught three passes, but he did not have a reception in Week 1 nor Week 3. Joseph Fauria was inactive with an ankle injury and Calvin Johnson is battling his own ankle issues, so Eric may continue to see more looks, especially in the red zone with his big frame. He makes for a low TE1 play against the Bills on Sunday.
Week 4 – Eric Ebron vs. New York Jets
Despite Matthew Stafford throwing the ball 34 times last week at home versus the Packers, Eric Ebron did not receive a target. The rookie had a decent Week 2, but right now there are just too many other options for Stafford to warrant a fantasy start of Ebron.
Week 3 – Eric Ebron vs. Green Bay Packers
In the loss to the Panthers last Sunday, Eric Ebron caught his first NFL pass, finishing with three receptions for 38 yards. Of Matthew Stafford’s 48 pass attempts, five came in the direction of Ebron. Fellow TEs Joseph Fauria and Brandon Pettigrew combined to have just one catch, so it’s a good sign that Eric is starting to become a bigger part of the offense. Green Bay has been tough versus the pass, but that has come against Seattle and the Jets, two teams not known for big aerial attacks.
Week 2 – Eric Ebron vs. Carolina Panthers
In his NFL regular season debut, Eric Ebron was targeted twice, but did not have a reception. Brandon Pettigrew and Joseph Fauria combined to receive four looks resulting in two catches. Ebron may become a bigger part of the Detroit attack later in the season, but definitely do not start him at this time. He's dropable in most formats.
Week 1 – Eric Ebron vs. New York Giants
The Lions No. 1 draft pick will get his chance to start winning over the Detroit faithful on Monday night. He struggled with drops during his first camp and has struggled to grasp the offense as quickly as anticipated, but Eric Ebron should be a large part of the Detroit passing game as the season progresses. Don’t start him this week, but keep an eye on the rookie and see how he fits in with the numerous offensive weapons Matthew Stafford has at his disposal.
Fantasy Upside
Drafted in the first round out of North Carolina, Eric Ebron is quickly becoming more comfortable with the offense. In his junior season with the Tar Heels, he set school records for a TE with 62 receptions and 973 yards. He also had 24 catches of 20-plus yards last year. He’s a big target at 6’4” and 260 pounds and is very athletic. He is versatile and the Lions will line him up all over their offensive formations
Fantasy Downside
He struggled with drops early in OTAs and continued to have a reputation for inconsistent hands early on during training camp. And, early on, there have been some concerns about him learning the offense. Detroit still has a couple very capable TEs on the team in veteran Brandon Pettigrew and red zone sensation Joseph Fauria.
Bottom Line
It’ll be interesting to see how the Lions utilize Eric. He comes in highly touted, but rookie TEs usually do not do too well in their first NFL season. While there have been exceptions, eventually Detroit would like for Ebron to fill a Jimmie Graham-type role, but don’t expect to see that for at least the first half of the season. Even with the other TEs, Ebron should get plenty of playing time, especially once he becomes more familiar with the offense and more comfortable with the professional game. He makes for an intriguing TE2-type of player on a team that can score a lot of points and could be quite a weapon to have for the future in keeper leagues.
