Week 6 at New Orleans Saints
What has happened to Eric Ebron? He was supposed to be a big weapon for Matthew Stafford and the Detroit offense, but he finished last Sunday’s game versus Carolina with just a 6-yard grab on 4 targets. It was fellow TE Darren Fells who caught both of Stafford’s TD tosses in the loss. Ebron has just 12 receptions for 93 yards on the season. Even though the Saints defense has struggled this season, there has to be a better tight end option.
Week 5 vs. Carolina Panthers
In the win versus the Vikings last week, Eric Ebron was targeted 4 times by Matthew Stafford, leading to 2 grabs for 27 yards. Neither offense did much last Sunday, but it’s concerning for fantasy owners that Ebron has only 11 receptions for 87 yards and 1 TD through the first four weeks. Carolina is ranked No. 7 against the pass, so Ebron doesn’t make for a strong start this week.
Week 4 at Minnesota Vikings
Matthew Stafford threw the ball 7 times in Eric Ebron’s direction last Sunday versus Atlanta, but the big tight end finished with only 2 grabs for 9 yards. It was the second time this season that Ebron collected just two2receptions for 9 yards, as he also did so in the season opener. Ebron is a solid weapon, especially in the red zone, but there tends to be games where he and Stafford just aren’t connecting. Consider him a low-end TE1 play at Minnesota this week.
Week 3 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Leading the Lions in receptions last Monday in the win against the Giants was Eric Ebron. He successfully grabbed all 5 of his targets for 42 yards and a TD. He’ll continue to be a vital part of the Detroit offense, especially in the red zone. Go ahead and keep him in your starting lineup.
Week 2 at New York Giants
During their comeback versus the Cardinals last Sunday, Eric Ebron was targeted only three times, leading to two short grabs. Matthew Stafford put the ball in the air 41 times, but the big tight end was not a focal point of the offense, despite playing on 72% of the team's offensive snaps. Jason Witten had a solid game and a score versus the Giants last Sunday night, so there is optimism for Ebon owners. He makes for a low-end TE1 play this week.
Week 1 vs. Arizona Cardinals
Coming off his best season as a pro, Eric Ebron should again be a focal part of the Lions passing attack. Despite just one touchdown in 2016, Ebron is a great target for Matthew Stafford in the red zone. While Ebron is our No. 12 TE for Week 1, he should receive a fair amount of targets, making him a safe opening week start.
Fantasy Upside
Eric Ebron finally posted the numbers expected of him early in his career. He finished last season with career-highs in targets (85), receptions (61), and yards (711), while averaging 55 yards per game. He has great red zone size at 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds.
Fantasy Downside
While Ebron posted highs in numerous categories, he caught just one touchdown in 2016. He has missed eight games during his three-year career, including three last season, so there's potential for him to miss time again in 2017.
2017 Bottom Line
Matthew Stafford loves to put the ball in the air and with the Detroit ground game expected to be near the bottom of the league once again, Ebron should again put up respectable fantasy stats. Heading into the preseason he was giddy about having a larger role in the offense. Ebron should find himself in the end zone more often than the one time he visited last season and is primed to have a big year.
Wild Card Round at Seattle
After posting career highs in receptions (61) and yards (711), Eric Ebron and the Lions are on to the postseason for the second time in three years. However, Seattle allowed only 18 points per game during the regular season and Eric scored just once during the year, so don’t expect to see him in the end zone on Saturday night. Ebron is a very risky TE option with Detroit slotted as the No. 6 seed in the NFC.
Week 17 vs. Green Bay
In the loss at Dallas last Monday night, Eric Ebron came to play. He led Detroit with 12 targets and season-highs of eight catches and 93 yards. While the yardage has been down, he’s snagged at least four passes in four straight contests. With Matthew Stafford throwing for nearly 400 yards in September at Green Bay, Eric caught five passes for 69 yards.
Week 16 at Dallas
In the loss to the Giants last Sunday, Eric Ebron grabbed four passes for 36 yards. He was questionable with a knee injury heading in to the contest, but played on 52 of 62 snaps. While Eric has exactly four receptions in three straight games, he has not seen the end zone since way back in Week 1. Odds are he won’t score against the Cowboys on Monday, even though he’ll be facing the No. 28 pass defense.
