Joseph

Fauria

Twentyman thinks the Lions will keep three tight ends, and he thinks both Brandon Pettigrew and seventh-round blocking specialist Michael Williams are favorites for two of the spots. Fauria and Scheffler have similar skill sets as catch-first tight ends. The Lions could save over $2 million by cutting Scheffler.

Fauria (6-foot-7, 259) caught 46 balls for 637 yards (13.8 YPR) and a team-best 12 touchdowns for Jim Mora’s Bruins in 2012. He is the nephew of former longtime NFL tight end Christian Fauria. Joseph is a thoroughly ineffective blocker and drew pre-draft comparisons to Chase Coffman, a former third-round bust who couldn’t block a lick. Fauria ran 4.72 with a 10-foot broad jump and 35 1/2-inch vertical at UCLA’s Pro Day, so at least he’s a better athlete than Coffman.

He was active, but is not a significant part of Detroit’s offense despite scoring a Week 1 touchdown. Drop Fauria if you head-scratchingly picked him up.

Fauria led the Lions’ tight end trio with his three targets. The touchdown was his second of the season, and Matthew Stafford seems to like him in the red zone. However, the undrafted rookie isn’t worthy of a fantasy roster spot in any format.

Fauria was a candidate for a bigger role in the absence of Nate Burleson, but it’s not going to happen. The rookie tight end has just four catches through four games, and would be completely off the radar had two of them not happened to find the end zone. He’s little more than Dynasty-league flier.

Fauria’s lone target came in the red zone, but he couldn’t haul in it. Otherwise, the highlight of his day was FOX’s Joe Buck praising his dancing ability. Fauria shouldn’t be owned in re-draft leagues.

An undrafted rookie out of UCLA, Fauria finished a promising rookie year with a receiving stat line of 18-207-7, establishing himself as a legitimate red-zone weapon at 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds. Fauria excels as a hands catcher, but will need to polish his blocking skills to become an every-down player. For now, he’s only treatable as a TE2 in Dynasty fantasy leagues.

Fauria was a strict red-zone specialist as a rookie, managing seven touchdowns on only 18 receptions. He could enter 2014 as the favorite to start if Detroit fails to bring back free agent Brandon Pettigrew. Even if Pettigrew re-signs, the Lions are expected to get Fauria more involved under new OC Joe Lombardi. Fauria is a TE2 with upside in Dynasty fantasy leagues.

It was the lone target Fauria drew in the passing game. He beat Ravens LB Daryl Smith down the middle of the field to reel in the score late in the fourth quarter. It put the Lions up 16-15 with under three minutes to play. Fauria finished off the touchdown by doing the “Dougie.” His dances are sights to see. Fauria is off the re-draft radar but should be owned in dynasty.

He’s managed three catches for 53 yards combined during the four-game stretch. Coach Jim Schwartz chalked up Fauria’s lack of productivity to “not catching anybody by surprise anymore.” Defenses have begun defending Fauria physically at the line of scrimmage, disrupting his routes. Schwartz still considers Fauria a “pivotal” part of the Lions’ offense, even as a part-time player.