The Detroit Lions made a statement in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season by upsetting the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, 21-20. The Lions showed that they are a team to be reckoned with this season. In this article, we will discuss the top fantasy football takeaways from the Lions' win over the Chiefs. We will focus on Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, Jared Goff, and Amon-Ra St. Brown and why they are good guys to pick up in fantasy football after this win.

Lions Beat The Chiefs, 21-20

The Detroit Lions pulled off a huge upset in Week 1. Their defense played a big role in the win, holding the Chiefs to just 20 points. The Lions' offense was also impressive, with Jared Goff throwing for 253 yards and a touchdown. The Lions also tallied +28 rushing yards and +27 receiving yards. They just showed that they are a team on the rise and that nobody can afford to overlook them. If they play this well consistently, they should be a major contender in the NFC.

In this article, we're going to break down the Detroit Lions' performance in Week 1 of fantasy football. We'll talk about four key players and how they fared in their game against the Chiefs.

1. Jahmyr Gibbs: A Rising Star

Jahmyr Gibbs had a great game for the Lions in their victory over the Chiefs. He carried the ball seven times, gaining 42 yards, and caught both passes thrown to him for 18 yards. While some fantasy managers may have wanted more action from him, the Lions' coaching staff had already hinted that he might not get a lot of playing time right away. Surprisingly, he had 14 fewer carries than David Montgomery and only two passes thrown his way. He also did not have any chances to score near the opponent's goal line. Even with these reduced expectations, it's essential to remember that Gibbs is a dynamic player who could shine with just a few opportunities. With an upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, consider holding Gibbs if he's on your roster or inquiring with the Gibbs manager in your league to see if you can trade for the Lions halfback.

2. Sam LaPorta: Rook Impressed

Another rookie who made a mark for the Lions was tight end Sam LaPorta. In his first regular-season game, LaPorta caught all five passes targeted to him, totaling 39 receiving yards. While he may not be a fantasy superstar just yet, he displayed natural receiving skills. Keep in mind that LaPorta also has blocking duties, and he only ran routes on about 70 percent of his snaps. Still, he managed to be the fourth most targeted player behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, and Marvin Jones. If his involvement in the game increases, LaPorta could become a valuable low-end fantasy starter.

3. Jared Goff: The Solid Quarterback

Lions QB Jared Goff had a decent game. He completed 22 of 35 pass attempts for 253 yards, throwing one touchdown pass in their win against the Chiefs. He also had no interceptions. While the Lions did pull off an upset against the reigning Super Bowl champions, their offense wasn't exceptionally strong. They punted the ball five times, which was more than their average last season. They also struggled to get into scoring positions against a Chiefs defense that was missing key players. However, Goff's statistics were in line with his 2022 averages. In addition, he extended his remarkable streak of consecutive passes without an interception to 359. That actually ranks third all-time behind Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Color us impressed.

4. Amon-Ra St. Brown: A Consistent Performer

Amon-Ra St. Brown had a good game for the Lions. He caught six of the nine passes thrown to him, accumulating 71 receiving yards and scoring a touchdown against the Chiefs. This performance was consistent with his 2022 numbers, where he averaged 6.6 receptions on 9.1 targets with 72.6 receiving yards per game. Fantasy managers were pleased to see him find the end zone this time, considering he often got tackled near the five-yard line last season. Even though Gibbs and LaPorta could become more involved in short-range passes as the season progresses, St. Brown remains the top receiver in Detroit. We expect him to have another excellent year.

Looking Ahead

In Week 1, the Detroit Lions had some noteworthy fantasy football performances. Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta, both rookies, showed promise. They should become valuable assets in the future. Jared Goff had a steady game, and Amon-Ra St. Brown continued to impress as the top receiver for the Lions. If the Lions' Week 1 performance was any indicator, this is a team fantasy football managers will want stock in.