The Detroit Lions are coming into Week 7 with a huge matchup against the Saints and with Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush possibly out after missing last week, Golden Tate, Joique Bell, Eric Ebron and Theo Riddick are start options for Matthew Stafford and this comes as Megatron is most likely out with an ankle injury, while Bush may have the chance to start while dealing with the same issue.
The Lions have a number of injuries coming into the game on Sunday against the Saints and there is a chance that Calvin Johnson is out with an injury. Johnson missed the game last week and it is looking very unlikely that he will be playing on Sunday. Jim Caldwell said it would take a "miracle" to have him in the lineup and that is not the news fantasy owners were looking for. Johnson likely will be out for more time after this game and there is a chance he won't be back until after the bye week for the Lions.
Losing Johnson is huge for fantasy owners, as he is one of the best players in the league and on top of that, most owners drafted their teams around Johnson. Golden Tate is the best start option for the Lions after Johnson and along with Tate the team has Jeremy Ross and Corey Fuller at WR. The loss of Johnson also could open things up for other players in the offense, including Reggie Bush, Joique Bell and Eric Ebron. Bush is looking like he will play and fantasy owners should keep an eye on injury reports in case the status changes.
This season Johnson has 22 catches in five games for 348 yards and two touchdowns and he is coming off of another beat season with 84 catches and 1492 yards last year. Johnson missed two games last season and now he has missed time this year and before 2013, he had not missed any time in the last three seasons and before that had only missed two games in 2009. Tate has been taking advantage of Johnson's absence, as he has become the favorite target for Stafford and he likely will stay there until Johnson returns.
Tate comes in after making seven catches for 44 yards in the game against the Vikings and that came after he put up two 100-yard performances in a row and he could be in line for another on Sunday. The Lions play against the Saints on Sunday and Tate could have a big game against that defense, as he already has 38 catches for nearly 500 yards. While Tate has not made it into the endzone much, the matchup on Sunday could be a shootout. Tate had seven catches last week and over the past three weeks he has 22 receptions and hasn't had less than five in any game this season.
Tate has been very consistent and heading into the weekend, Bell and Bush owners may have the chance to cash in as well. It looks like Bush will be playing after dealing with an injury and Bell is healed up from his head injury and is back after rushing for 74 yards and a TD against the Vikings last weekend.