Tim

Patrick

...What? Patrick had been threatening some high target counts (nine in the last three games) and playing more snaps of late, but he managed a season-high 42 snaps and scored in Parker Washington’s absence. In fairness — his touchdown catch wasn’t exactly impressive as Trevor Lawrence broke the pocket and Patrick simply sat down on a route wide open in the end zone. He also had dropped a touchdown the play before. It’s possible he goes back into the pocket with Washington back next week, but if Washington is absent again, it sounds like Patrick has some desperation FLEX appeal against the Jets.

Weird one. Brown managed just 23 snaps as Tim Patrick (not targeted) was the clear No. 2 receiver. We haven’t seen anything that suggested it was injury-related — perhaps the Jaguars eased him in after his concussion — but there’s no need to hold someone playing behind Tim Patrick in fantasy football.

The Jags also ruled out safety Eric Murray (neck) for the remainder of the game. Patrick’s day ends with one catch for 22 yards. His absence will free up some routes for Dyami Brown and Parker Washington.

Patrick joined the Lions last year and had 394 yards and three touchdowns. The 31-year-old provided size at 6-foot-5 as well as production. He figures to take on a similar role with the Jaguars, who were looking for a bigger receiver that can also block. For the Lions, rookie Isaac Teslaa could be in line to replace Patrick as the WR3 after a loud preseason where he had three touchdowns. Kalif Raymond will also be in that mix. Detroit could’ve kept Patrick around as a depth option this year, but opted to recoup some draft capital after trading up to take Teslaa. The Lions gave Patrick as $2.5 million contract this offseason that included a $1.25 million signing bonus, which the Lions will retain as a dead cap hit after the trade. Patrick’s fantasy stock was nearly nonexistent with the Lions and doesn’t seem to have improved much at all going to a similarly crowded Jaguars receiver room.

Patrick can earn up to $4 million on his deal next season. The veteran receiver who missed all of the 2022 and 2023 seasons due to a torn ACL (2022) and torn Achilles (2023) played in 16 games last season for the Lions while making nine starts. Patrick posted a line of 33-394-3 in his return to action and will provide the Lions with some reliable depth in the receiver room, along with a big red zone target for Jared Goff.

With Davante Adams and Allen Lazard both expected to be playing elsewhere in 2025, signing on with the Jets would give Patrick as good a chance as any to compete for a starting role, though he is likely best deployed in a rotational capacity. Patrick, entering his age-32 season, can also serve as a mentor for Garrett Wilson and Hughes reports that “changing the culture is a major priority for” new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn. Wilson is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, with one year remaining on his contract, though it “could take a [little time]” for the Jets’ front office to evaluate the value of a star player whose productivity and development have been somewhat stunted by previous, unideal organizational circumstances. Patrick and Glenn, then the Lions’ defensive coordinator, spent the 2024 season together in Detroit.

Patrick appeared to be a midseason revelation for the Lions after he caught 16 passes for 176 yards and three scores during a four-game stretch late in the season. That production quickly evaporated and he would go on to reel in a measly three passes over his final four games including the playoff loss. Patrick is a solid third receiver who adds some extra juice in the run game as a blocker, but two season-ending injuries have likely sapped enough of his athleticism to prevent him from ever running as a team’s second receiver again. He should still have no issues finding a roster spot on the open market once free agency opens.

Patrick’s two targets were primarily a function of only 33 pass attempts from quarterback Jared Goff in the convincing win. Jameson Williams led the team with eight targets, followed by seven each for tight end Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown and five for running back Jahmyr Gibbs. The win clinched the NFC’s top seed, a playoff bye, and home field advantage for the Lions, who will await the results from Wildcard Weekend before learning their opponent in the Divisional Round.

Coming off three touchdowns in his past two games, Week 16 was a heat check for Patrick that he failed in dramatic fashion for fantasy managers. He was held without a catch for the first time since Week 10. With Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jameson Williams all seeing at least seven targets and scoring, there simply wasn’t room in the game plan for a part-time No. 3 receiver to see the ball. Better days are ahead for Patrick, but any notion of a floor for the veteran wideout was nixed with today’s doughnut. He is a touchdown-or-bust WR5 for Week 17 against the 49ers.

Patrick has been emerging as a threat to Jameson Williams’ status as the number-two wide receiver in Detroit for a few weeks now, and he out-targeted Williams again today. Some of that had to do with the Bills’ keeping their safeties deep to take away the big play, but Patrick is a solid receiver who can do everything pretty well, so he is going to continue to command targets. With the Lions’ defense continuing to struggle with injuries and shootouts potentially on the horizon, Patrick is on the deep-league radar.