Brock

Wright

Wright is primarily a blocker but could be in line for a larger role next week. Sam LaPorta suffered a sprained ankle late in the first half versus Arizona. He labored through the injury during the second half and his status for Week 4 is now up in the air. Wright would enter the TE2 mix if LaPorta is ruled out, but we aren’t likely to get concrete information on his status until later in the week. Fantasy managers should not be spending much FAAB or burning their waiver priority to acquire Wright.

The Lions tendered Wright, a restricted free agent, at the start of the offseason. The tender let Wright find a better offer on the open market but gave Detroit the right of first refusal to match any contract. San Francisco surprisingly stepped in with a solid deal for a backup tight end, but the Lions have chosen to match the contract, keeping Wright in Detroit. He will return for a mix of TE2 and special teams duties in 2024.

The Lions initially tendered Wright on a one-year, $3 million contract his offseason. The tender allows Wright to seek a better offer but still gives Detroit a chance to match. Now they have to choose between letting Wright walk or signing him to a three-year, $12 million deal. It’s a good contract for a backup tight end, but Wright has earned more than a one-year contract. In addition to his backup duties, Wright is a strong blocker and plays plenty on special teams.

Because Wright is an RFA, the Lions now have five days to match the offer from the 49ers to retain him for the 2024 season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the 49ers offered Wright a one-year, $2.985 million deal. Wright has been solid for the Lions in a limited role since joining the team is a UDFA in 2021. He’s totaled 43 receptions for 424 yards and seven touchdowns over that span, while starting in 19 of the 41 games he’s appeared in. Because Wright entered the league as a UDFA, the Lions would not receive any compensation for him if they chose to not match his deal.

No real surprises here with the Lions enjoying relative health to end the season. Wright is technically second on the tight end depth chart but rookie Sam LaPorta has played 80 percent or more of the offensive snaps in all but two games this season, leaving little to go around for the remaining tight ends on the roster.

Shane Zylstra caught three touchdowns last week. This week it was Wright. The Lions use multiple tight ends and none of them have a full-time role. Wright’s multi-score game can be written off as an anomaly heading into Week 18.

Wright is technically the Lions starting tight end, but Shane Zylstra and James Mitchell also saw one target in this game. Although Wright got in the end zone this week, he should not be trusted in Week 11 against the Giants.

It is not a surprise after Wright got in a full practice on Friday. With T.J. Hockenson out, Wright and fifth-round rookie James Mitchell should handle the snaps at tight end. Mitchell could be an interesting fantasy option if he carves out a big enough role, but neither is an option right now in standard leagues.

Wright has progressed from a DNP on Wednesday to a full practice Friday, suggesting he will clear the protocol and suit up on Sunday. With T.J. Hockenson now in Minnesota, it would make sense for the Lions to see what they have in fifth-round rookie James Mitchell, but he is just returning from a serious knee injury and will likely be eased into action. That should leave Wright as the TE1 for now in Detroit, but he is nothing more than a flier in fantasy.

He’s still working his way through protocol. Rookie tight end James Mitchell would seem the more likely of the two to be fantasy-relevant -- if either of them do -- this season. Mitchell can be stashed and/or monitored for now in most leagues.