Pat

Edwards

"(We) were very surprised that he didn’t get drafted,” Schwartz said. “He was a guy that we went to work on right away, as soon as that draft was over.” Edwards caught 89 passes for 1,752 yards and an NCAA-leading 20 touchdowns last season, but stands 5'9/172. He may need Ryan Broyles (torn ACL) to begin the year on PUP to have any chance of cracking Detroit’s crowded receiver corps.

Coach Jim Schwartz previously admitted surprise that Edwards went undrafted and the team was quick to scoop him up. The former Houston Cougar was a rookie camp standout and has to be considered the favorite for the No. 5 receiver job. The winningest quarterback in NCAA history, Moore is slotted in behind Matt Stafford and Shaun Hill and will only stick if they keep three on the roster.

Teammate Nate Burleson was willing to “guarantee he will be a big-time playmaker for us this year.” Edwards spent all of his rookie season on the practice squad, but would have been promoted to the active roster if not for a torn quad. He’s generating buzz for the second consecutive summer, and is a player to keep an eye on.

Edwards, a 2012 undrafted free agent out of Houston, spent all of last season on the practice squad. He would have been promoted to the active roster in-season had he not suffered a torn quad. Edwards has reportedly “stood out” at this weekend’s minicamp. He averaged 14.7 yards per punt return in college.

Edwards played opposite Calvin Johnson in three-wide sets, with Nate Burleson in the slot. He caught all three of his targets, but wasn’t a big factor on offense. Despite playing in the Lions’ pass-happy attack, Edwards is no higher than the fifth option in the passing game. He’ll lose playing time when Ryan Broyles (knee) returns.

After a hot start to camp, Broyles’ knee woes started to crop up. He’s torn his ACL in each knee in each of the last two seasons. The talented possession receiver is going to need some time to get right and become a contributor. In the meantime, the Lions will roll with intriguing undrafted rookie Patrick Edwards as their No. 3 receiver behind Calvin Johnson and Nate Burleson. Broyles is only a hold in deeper PPR formats.

Edwards left the Week 2 loss at Arizona after just 16 snaps. The severity of his injury is unknown. If he can’t play in Week 3, the Lions may be forced to see what Ryan Broyles (knee) has.

Burleson was driving home after watching Monday Night Football with teammates when he was in a single-car wreck. Other than the arm, he’s doing fine and police confirmed alcohol was not involved. We don’t have a timetable yet, but fractured bones typically take 4-6 weeks to heal. Burleson is undergoing surgery Tuesday, suggesting the recovery period could be even longer. It’s a huge blow to the Lions as their veteran ranked 21st in the NFL in receiving yards (239) and was tied for 11th in catches (19). Ryan Broyles was on a strict snap count in Week 3 thanks to his knee issues, but he’ll be given every opportunity to run with the slot job now. If Broyles’ knees hold up, he’ll be capable of WR3 production in PPR. Pat Edwards will also see a boost in opportunities if he can get over his ankle injury. Brandon Pettigrew’s underneath targets will rise.

The Lions didn’t make any wide receiver signings in the wake of Nate Burleson’s injury, so it looks like they expect Edwards to be a go. We wouldn’t expect any heroics. Burleson was an inside receiver, a role that will be filled by Ryan Broyles, Tony Scheffler and Brandon Pettigrew. Edwards remains an outside receiver opposite Calvin Johnson and shouldn’t expect a big bump in targets.

With Edwards back, Kris Durham will head back to special teams. Among Lions pass catchers, Ryan Broyles will remain the best fantasy option behind Calvin Johnson and perhaps Brandon Pettigrew.