Verily Life Sciences, the Alphabet-owned healthcare company, is suspending employee spot bonuses, as reported by Business Insider. The money will be funneled instead to fund diversity and inclusion initiatives. The move frustrated workers, many of whom have been working grueling hours on the company’s COVID-19 testing projects.
In a letter to management obtained by Business Insider, employees said the decision implied these initiatives are not a priority. They wrote: “The use of spot bonuses to subsidize social justice programs such as Healthy@Work for HBCUs [Historically Black colleges and universities], clinical trial recruitment of underrepresented populations, and an internal Product Inclusion group implies that these efforts are…
One of the top backs in college in 2019, D’Andre Swift has high expectations in Year 1 with the Detroit Lions. SI Fantasy analyst Matt De Lima says even with a timeshare in the backfield, Swift could rise up draft boards quickly.
The premium on running backs has nearly returned to the good old days when selecting two running backs in the first two rounds was a very common draft strategy. This is way back when PPR scoring was just coming into its infancy. We haven’t quite reached those levels, but we’re not far off.
The unknown promise of a rookie has also never seemed to tempt drafters more so than now. As evidence, just look at the average draft position of players like Clyde Edwards-Helaire (28, RB15), Jonathan Taylor (48, RB22) and Cam Akers (67, RB29).
The third rookie RB coming off the PPR draft boards is the one I want to focus on. Coming into the league, he was often cited as one of the best rookie backs, just going off pure talent. He’s sunk a tiny bit because of his situation, but that doesn’t deter me.
Let me first allow SI Fantasy’s high-stakes football guru Shawn Childs to take the lead here in describing Swift’s talent and situation. This is from his recently published Lions outlook (and yes, he writes this much for almost every decent player in the game):
“As the lead rusher for Georgia over the last two seasons, Swift ran for 2,267 yards on 359 carries with 17 rushing touchdowns. He also picked up 56 catches for 513 yards and four more TDs. His season ended with only three carries for 15 yards over his final two contests.
Even with a productive resume in 2018, he failed to rush for over 75 yards in ten of his 14 games while working almost in a 50/50 split role with Elijah Holyfield. Swift flashed his explosiveness over a two-game stretch in early November (33/342/3 plus seven catches for 61 yards). He only had one game with over 20 touches.
Last year Swift played well in Week 1 (16/147) while earning a full load midseason over a five-game stretch (647 combined yards, five TDs, and 11 catches on 114 touches). His best success came against Kentucky (21/179/2).
He missed time with a left shoulder issue last year while battling a groin issue in 2018.
Swift may have landed on the best franchise for him to make an impact in his rookie season. In my opening projections, I gave him the lead running back job, which came to 1,320 combined yards with nine TDs and 48 catches.”
If Swift put up those numbers, he’d have scored 234 fantasy points. He’d be the RB12 in 2019 & RB 11 in 2018. A low-end RB1 season would be pretty special although breakout rookie seasons aren’t uncommon. In 2018, Saquon Barkley led all RBs in PPR leagues. In 2017, Christian McCaffrey, Kareem Hunt & Alvin Kamara all finished in the top 10. In 2016, Ezekiel Elliott had his breakout (and best to date) season.
Not surprisingly, the ADP price tags on those players were very high. You have to pay up to get your guy. If anything, we are seeing a significant discount on Swift because he wasn’t drafted as early as others, along with the poor reputation of Lions RBs for the better part of a couple of decades.
The Lions have finished the year with more rushing yards than their opponents only twice (2013 and 2014).
The Lions have finished dead last in the NFL in rushing yards four separate times (2003, 2006, 2015, 2017).
Detroit’s run game hasn’t ranked in the top half of the league at the end of the season a single time.
Then we get to the names. So much promise! Ameer Abdullah, Jahvid Best, Reggie Bush, Joique Bell, Kevin Smith, and Kevin Jones (shoutout to all my Virginia Tech alumni out there).
What there is to like here is a very slept-on Lions offense. Matthew Stafford was actually killing it last year before he got hurt. In just eight games, he had 2,499 passing yards and 19 TDs. Extrapolate those numbers out (4,998 yards and 38 TDs) and it would have been his second-best yardage and TD season (in 2011, he passed for 5,038 yards and 41 TDs). Stafford hadn’t missed a game prior to 2019 since 2010. That was the year he injured his shoulder in the opening game and ended up requiring surgery to repair the injury a couple of weeks later.
So we have that big boost to look forward to along with the continued development of TE T.J. Hockenson. He’s an excellent run blocker and one of my favorite sleepers at my favorite position to aim for sleepers.
Plus, we have WR Kenny Golladay, who has to be one of the most under-appreciated stud receivers in the game. This despite having a monster 2019 season with Stafford out for half the year.
I mean really folks, the guy had 65-1,190-11 with David Blough and Jeff Driskel as his QBs for half the season. How is that even possible?
You may be surprised to get this far into the article and not hear the name Kerryon Johnson yet. AllLions reporter Vito Chirco recently discussed who would see more snaps in 2020, Johnson or Swift. That’s of course, the elephant in the room.
In fantasy football, we too often focus on the incumbents. We think of players as what we hoped them to be and not what they are. Johnson continues to be a very promising player. However, he’s been injured, off-and-on, for much of his short career. We should expect him to be a significant part of a two-headed committee to start the season. Lions head coach Matt Patricia may have a defensive background, but the Lions used two of their picks in the first five rounds on RBs (Swift in Round 2 & Jason Huntley in Round 5.)
Swift is not a banger and he has his own share of injury problems in college. He runs a bit upright for my tastes. What separates him from the pack and why I feel he will be special at the next level is his ability to change direction with losing almost no speed, along with his open-field vision and balance. Swift doesn’t break ankles; he just keeps it moving and finds space in between defenders. He has very little wear and tear because he was so frequently used in a RB committee in college. He has very good hands for a back and can contribute heavily to the passing game.
Because of the Lions woeful 2019 season and poor history at the position, there’s a built-in discount with Swift. A featured role may be off the table, but you’re able to draft Swift in Round 5 (or beyond) as a possible RB3/FLEX1, I’d love that.
With RBs going heavy in Round 1, you have to secure the position early, and hitting on a potential stud like Swift will give you a leg-up on your competitors. Look for his ADP to continue to rise as drafters get a better feel for the board.
It’s been 27 years since the Detroit Lions won a division title. Fantasy owners would be happy with a full, healthy season after 2019’s offensive disaster.
Coaching Staff
The lifeline of Matt Patricia holding the head coaching job for the Lions long-term hinges on his success this year. Over his first two seasons with Detroit, he went 9-22-1, which came after Jim Caldwell went 36-28 over four years as the head coach.
Patricia worked in New England’s system since 2004, helping them win three Super Bowls. He held the defensive coordinator job for the Patriots from 2012 to 2017.
The Lions brought in Darrell Bevell to run the offense in 2019 after spending the last 12 seasons with the Vikings and the Seahawks as the offensive coordinator. He helped Seattle win one Super Bowl (2013). Bevell has 20 years of experience in the NFL.
Detroit finished 18th in points scored (341) and 17th in offensive yards.
Cory Undlin takes over the defense after coaching the defensive back for the Broncos and Eagles over the past seven seasons. He coached with New England in 2004 before moving onto the Browns and Jacksonville. Undlin has 16 years of experience in the NFL.
The Lions fell to 31st in yards allowed and 26th in points allowed (423). Only once since 1983 has Detroit ranked inside the top ten in points allowed (3rd in 2014 – 282).
Free Agency
After trading away CB Darius Slay in March to the Eagles, the Lions signed CB Desmond Trufant to replace him in the starting lineup. Last year Trufant missed seven games due to a toe issue and a season-ending broken arm in December. His coverage skills have faded over the past three seasons. Trufant played well over his first three years in the league after getting drafted in the first round in 2013.
Detroit brought in LB Jamie Collins and DT Danny Shelton after both players helped New England become the top defense in the NFL in 2019. Collins has a rebound in his career after underperforming in 2017 and 2018. Shelton worked as an early-down run stopper over the past three seasons.
The secondary players added to the defensive side of the ball were CB Jayron Kearse, DT Nick Williams, and LB Reggie Ragland.
Their defense lost DT Mike Davis, DT Damon Harrison, DT A’Shawn Robinson, S Tavon Wilson, DE Devon Kennard, CB Rashaan Melvin.
The Lions’ offensive line takes a hit with G Graham Glasgow finding a new home in Denver and T Rick Wagner signing with the Packers. Glasgow played well over his previous three years while Wagner failed to make an impact in run blocking in his career in Detroit.
They added QB Chase Daniel, G Halapoulivaati Vaitai, WR Geremy Davis, and WR Geronimo Allison to their offense.
Draft
With the third overall draft selection, the Lions invested in CB Jeff Okudah. There is no doubt Okudah will take over the top cornerback position on this defense. His game works well in press coverage, and it should improve when he gets stronger. His quickness gets him in position early vs. wide receivers while his speed (4.48 forty) looks faster in game action. Okudah needs to improve in his reads on routes and identifying his man earlier in zone coverage.
RB D’Andre Swift was the choice in the second round. Swift runs with vision and a feel for daylight. His top gear hurts him over the long field while needing to improve his value in short-yardage situations when faced with multiple big bodies. He earns his edge accelerating out of short chopping steps in tight quarters thanks to his ability to get to a full stride quickly. Swift projects well as a receiver, but he’ll have to prove his worth in pass projections.
In the third round, Detroit added LB Julian Okwara. Even with a foundation in strength, Okwara can lose value when facing powerful big bodies on the offensive line. His game is geared toward rushing the quarterback where his speed and quickness bring a disrupter feel. Okwara needs to improve vs. the run, and his vision isn’t ideal at this point in his career. Last year a broken leg hurt his production and development. To further impact rushing the quarterback, Okwara has to add more depth to his pass-rushing moves.
Detroit addressed their possible shortfall at guard by drafting Jonah Jackson and Logan Stenberg.
Jackson has experience at center and guard while expecting to be a better player early in his career in pass projection. He gains his edge by understanding his assignments and showing the ability to move quickly with his feet. He does have the strength to hold his own in run blocking, but his technique is trailing. For now, Jackson has a limited range while needing to improve his hands.
Stenberg is a second player with a chance to outperform his draft position in pass blocking. He works hard with some fight to his game. His vision and anticipation help in pass protection, but Stenberg needs to get stronger to handle power players up the middle. He does offset some of his shortfalls by trying to hold, which may be a problem at the next level.
With their two picks in the fifth round, the Lions decided on offensive depth – WR Quintez Cephus and RB Jason Huntley.
Cephus has a tight end feel in speed (4.7 forth) and strength (23 reps in the bench press at the NFL combine) while fitting more into a running back’s body. His hands grade well, but Cephus needs to clean up his press coverage release and develop his route running to earn more playing time at the next level. With the ball in his hands, he’ll gain extra yards.
Huntley gives the Lions another option in the passing game out of the backfield, plus he offers a change-of-pace value. His vision looks exceptional with a foundation of moves to create space in the open field. Huntley helps improve the Lions’ return game as well. Most of his runs tend to filter to the outside while having some concern with his ball security.
The defensive line was the focus with Detroit’s final two picks in the sixth and seventh rounds – DT John Penisini and Jashon Cornell.
Penisini projects as an early-down run-stopper who owns first-step quickness and great hands. His game is all about power and gaining an edge early off the snap. He will be challenged by more talented players in the NFL, which will require him to up his play to earn more snaps.
Cornell has a tweener skill set for the defensive line. He’s not big enough (6’3” and 285 lbs.) to anchor against the run, and his overall game isn’t high enough to make an impact rushing the quarterback on the outside. Cornell brings quickness and a hard-working skill set to the NFL. His athletic feel is the key to his growth going forward. Cornell needs to get stronger and prove he can handle more bulk.
Offensive Line
Detroit fell to 21st in rushing yards (1,649) while averaging 25.4 rushing attempts per game. They gained 4.1 yards per carry for the second straight season with seven TDs and seven runs over 20 yards.
The loss of Matthew Stafford for half of a season cost the Lions a couple of spots in the final rankings in passing yards (4,187 – 8th) with 28 TDs and 15 Ints. Detroit gained only 7.3 yards per pass attempt with only 13 catches over 40 yards. Their offensive line allowed 41 sacks and 84 QB hits.
LT Taylor Decker
Decker played well in pass blocking in his four seasons after getting drafted in the first round in 2016. Last year he regained his earlier form in the run game. Decker does allow pressure on the quarterback, but his game looks to be improving.
LG Joe Dahl
The Lions gave Dahl 13 starts last year after seeing minimal action over his first three years in the NFL. He came up short in run blocking while holding his own in pass protection. Dahl missed the final three games with a back injury.
C Frank Ragnow
Ragnow ended up starting 16 games at left guard in his rookie season after being drafted in the first round in 2018. Detroit shifted him to the center position last year, which led to an uptick in play across the board. His game is built on power and his initial quickness, but his overall speed isn’t an edge. Ragnow can handle bull rushers while showing limited range if asked to defend a more significant part of the field.
RG Johan Jackson
The Lions should start Jackson at right guard after drafting him in the third round this season. His best play early in his career should come in pass blocking.
RT Halapoulivaati Vaitai
Detroit signed Vaitai to a five-year $50 million contract in the offseason. Only once in his four-year career has he played a full season. In 2019 over 15 games, Vaitai made three starts while seeing action at every position on the line except center. His play showed growth in run blocking with some improvement in pass protection.
Offensive Line Outlook
This offensive line should rank above the league average with their upside tied to their guards’ development. I expect better play in pass protection with hit or miss success on the ground.
Offensive Schedule
The data shows the strength of schedule as far as rushing attempts (RATT), rushing yards (YDS), yards per attempt rushing (YA), rushing touchdowns (TDs), completions (COMP), passing attempts (PATT), passing yards (YDS), yards per attempt passing (YA), and passing touchdowns (TDS).
This information is based on 2019, which will work as our starting point for 2020. We’ll look at all the changes on offense on each team in the NFL plus the upgrades and downgrades on each team on the defensive side. We’ll update this table when we finish the research on all 32 teams.
2019 LG Average = the league average of all stats from all 32 teams in 2019.
2019 Results = this is the results for each team in the NFL.
2019 Adjustment is based on the 2019 league average and the 2019 results for each team, this number will show if each team is above or below the league average in each stat category and the basis for the strength of schedule.
Detroit has close to a league average schedule for their rushing offense. They have two tough matchups (NO and TB) plus three mid-tier contests (IND and CHI X 2). Their best success should come against the Jaguars, Redskins, and Panthers.
Other than two games against the Bears, the Lions don’t face any teams that ranked highly versus the pass in 2019. Their best opportunity in the air should come vs. Arizona, Houston, and Tampa.
Offense
The lack of defense by the Lions in 2019 should have led to more passing plays, but the injury to Matthew Stafford led to teams controlling the clock. The Lions ran the ball 41.7 percent of the time last year.
Here’s a look at the early projections for Detroit, which will be fluid all summer after taking in all injury updates and training camp news:
Halfway through 2019, Stafford was on pace for 4,998 yards and 38 TDs, which would have been his second-best season (2011 – 5038/41). He set a career-high in yards per pass attempt (8.6) thanks to explosive plays (41 completions over 20 yards and eight over 40 yards).
After a stellar game (406/3) in Week 9, Stafford missed the rest of the season due to fractured bones in his back.
Kenny Golladay (65/1190/11) gives him a developing WR1 while also having viable receiving options at RB, WR2, WR3, and TE. D’Andre Swift should be the missing link at running back, which helps the Lions’ offense in all areas.
Overlook player at times with an early draft price (ADP – 98) as the 13th QB off the board. An excellent QB2 with matchup value at the minimum. I set his bar at 4,179 combined yards with 27 TDs and 11 Ints.
The development of TE T.J. Hockenson and RB D’andre Swift set the tone for Stafford’s success in 2020.
Other option: David Blough, Chase Daniel
Running Backs
Over the last three seasons, the Lions running backs only scored five passing touchdowns with regression in their yards per catch (6.7 in 2018 and 6.6 in 2019). Last year their RBs gained 1,902 combined yards with nine TDs and 76 catches.
As the lead rusher for Georgia over the last two seasons, Swift ran for 2,267 yards on 359 carries with 17 rushing touchdowns. He also picked up 56 catches for 513 yards and four more TDs. His season ended with only three carries for 15 yards over his final two contests.
Even with a productive resume in 2018, he failed to rush for over 75 yards in 10 of his 14 games while working almost in a 50/50 split role with Elijah Holyfield. Swift flashed his explosiveness over a two-game stretch in early November (33/342/3 plus seven catches for 61 yards). He only had one game with over 20 touches.
Last year Swift played well in Week 1 (16/147) while earning a full load midseason over a five-game stretch (647 combined yards, five TDs, and 11 catches on 114 touches). His best success came against Kentucky (21/179/2).
He missed time with a left shoulder issue last year while battling a groin issue in 2018.
Swift may have landed on the best franchise for him to make an impact in his rookie season. In my opening projections, I gave him the lead running back job, which came to 1,320 combined yards with nine TDs and 48 catches. He has an ADP of 45 in mid-June in the high-stakes market as the 23rd drafted.
In back-to-back seasons, Johnson missed a significant portion of the year with knee injuries.
His season started with three flat games (193 combined yards with two TDs and five catches) due to no running room (2.6 YPC). After a good game (157 combined yards with two catches) in Week 4, his production was minimal in his other four contests (180 combined yards with two TDs and three catches) while missing eight games with a right knee injury (left knee in 2018).
His play the previous year invites upside, but two knee issues should be enough of a sign to proceed with caution.
Johnson is the 35th off the board in the early draft seasons with an ADP of 94, which won’t be the case going forward with RB D’andre Swift added to the roster.
Decent talent, but he could be outside looking in when the lights go in September.
Jason Huntley
Over his first three seasons at New Mexico State, Huntley gained 1,216 combined yards with 14 TDs and 94 catches while receiving 312 combined touches. As their lead runner in 2019, he gained 1,282 combined yards with 11 TDs and 40 catches on 194 chances.
His explosiveness showed last year in his yards per rush (7.1), but Huntley struggled to find open field in the passing game (4.8 yards per catch – 10.4 in 2017 and 2018).
He also has five kickoff returns in his college career.
Other options: Bo Scarbrough, Ty Johnson, Wes Hills
Wide Receivers
The wide receiver opportunity has been consistent over the past three seasons. They averaged 207 catches for 2,838 yards and 18 TDs on 337 targets per game. In 2019, their wide receivers gained over 20 yards on 60 plays (6th in the NFL). All of this was done last year without their starting quarterback for a half of a season.
Coming into 2019, Golladay had the look of a breakout type wide receiver. He ended the year with a step back in catches (65) and targets (116), partly due to the loss of QB Matthew Stafford for eight games.
Surprisingly, Golladay finished with a spike in TDs (11) and career-highs in yards per catch (18.3) and catches over 20 (22) and 40 (6) yards.
Four of his five games (8/117/1, 5/121, 6/123/2, 4/132/1, and 4/158/1) with over 100 yards receiving came over his first eight games (healthy Stafford).
Even with his success, the Lions only gave him double-digit targets in two games. Golladay is on the verge of being a lockdown top-ten wide receiver. His initial projections came to 77 catches for 1,144 yards and 11 TDs. His early ADP is 28 as the eighth wide receiver drafted.
Marvin Jones
Jones was on pace to set career-highs in catches and targets if he didn’t miss the final three games with an ankle injury.
He dominated in three games (6/101/1, 10/93/4, and 8/126/1). His season ended with four straight games with fewer than 50 yards receiving.
Over the last two seasons, he missed ten games.
Hitting the back nine, but the Lions didn’t add any threats to steal his targets. In the WR3 mold, when healthy while earning WR4 interest in the early draft season with an ADP of 111. Not my kind of fight at this stage of his career. I have projected for 66 catches for 895 yards and six TDs.
Danny Amendola
The Lions gave Amendola the third-most targets (97) of his career while gaining the highest number of yards per catch (1.09) of his career.
Over his last three seasons, he averaged 61 catches for 637 yards and 1.3 TDs over 45 games while playing for three different teams.
His best play in 2019 came in four games (7/104/1, 8/105, 8/95, and 8/102). Amendola gained fewer than 40 yards in ten of his other 11 contests. He scored his only TD in Week 1.
Only a bye week cover while being a waiver wire tease if he plays well early in the year. Amendola starts 2020 at age 34.
Geronimo Allison
Last year fantasy owners thought Allison would blossom as the WR2 for the Packers. Even with a full season of games for the first time in his career, he caught 34 passes for 287 yards and two TDs on 55 targets while gaining only 8.4 yards per catch.
Only once last year (3/52/1) did Allison gain over 50 yards receiving. Over four seasons in the NFL, he has 89 catches for 1,045 yards and seven TDs on 146 targets,
Capable of a big game as back-end wide receiver in the Lions rotation, but he may need an injury to get enough snaps to be playable at some point this year.
Quintez Cephus
Cephus played well in 2019 (59/901/7), with his best success in three games (6/130/2, 5/114, and 7/122).
He missed 2018 with an off the field issue that Cephus later beat in a court case.
Over his career at Wisconsin, he averaged 16.1 yards per catch with 13 TDs over his final 24 games.
Other options: Chris Lacy, Jamal Agnew, Geremy Davis, Travis Fulgham, Victor Bolden
Tight Ends
The catch rate (58.4) for the Lions’ tight ends came in a much weaker area than expected last year. After a dip in TE chances and production in 2018 (42/458/4), Detroit almost matched their 2017 targets (114) last year (113). Matthew Stafford will throw to his tight ends if he has a viable option, which falls on the development of T.J. Hockenson.
In his first NFL start, Hockenson posted an impact game (6/131/1), but his success was more of a result of a bad TE defense by the Cardinals.
Over his next 11 games, he caught only 26 passes for 236 yards and one TD on 50 targets. His catch rate (52.0) suggests Hockenson needs more time to develop.
His season ended after Week 13 due to right ankle injury.
In his final season at Iowa in a split role with Noah Fant, he flashed big-play (15.5 YPC) and scoring ability (six TDs on 49 catches).
For now, a TE2 with upside, but he may be tough to time when setting your lineups in 2020. Hockenson has an ADP of 135 in mid-June as the 15th tight end drafted. His initial projections came to 57 catches for 649 yards and five TDs.
Other options: Jesse James, Isaac Nauta, Matt Sokol, Hunter Bryant
Kicker
Matt Prater
Over the last five years, Prater had been one of the better kickers from 50 yards or longer (29-for-37 – 78.3 percent). His success pushed him to 24th in field goal percentage (83.8) all-time, with most of his failure coming from 40-for-49 yards (74/105).
He’s had over 30 field goal chances in four straight years while averaging 35 extra-point chances per season.
More of a matchup option while needing Detroit to show growth offensively to be trusted as week-to-week play in the fantasy market.
Defense Schedule
Detroit has four games (IND, TEN, and MIN X 2) vs. teams that are expected to run the ball well this year. Their best edge should come against Atlanta, Tampa Bay, and Chicago (2).
The Lions will be challenged in three games (ATL, TB, and NO) via the pass. They have seven contests (ARI, IND, WAS, MIN X 2, and CHI X 2). The Cardinals and Colts should be improved passing the ball in 2020.
Defense
The Lions dropped to 21st in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (1,855) with 13 TDs and seven runs over 20 yards. Runners gained only 4.1 yards per rush while averaging 28.4 rushers per game.
Detroit fell to last in the NFL in passing yards allowed (4,551) with 33 TDs and seven Ints. Their defense finished with only 28 sacks while allowing 72 catches over 20 yards.
DE Romeo Okwara
After setting career highs in tackles (39) and sacks (7.5) in 2018, Okwara struggled to get to the quarterback (1.5) last year with regression vs. the run. His ceiling is low showcased by his one start in 2019.
Over his first two seasons, Hand missed 16 games. In his rookie season, he played well defending the run while flashing upside in the pass rush. Hand looks the part of a high-end run defender with questions with his motor and value as a pass rusher. He offers a foundation piece to a defensive line thanks to his strength and power.
DT Danny Shelton
In his second season with the Patriots, Shelton set a career-high in both tackles (61) and sacks (3). He grades as a plus in run support with some improvement rushing the quarterback over the past two seasons. Shelton is a former first-round draft pick (2015).
DE Trey Flowers
Flowers rewarded with a productive season after signing a big contract in 2019. Over his last three seasons, he averaged 57 tackles and seven sacks while grading well against the run.
LB Jamie Collins
In his second chance with the Patriots, Collins turned into a top playmaker. He finished with 81 tackles, seven sacks, three Ints, seven defended passes, one TD, and three forced fumbles. His run defense isn’t ideal while continuing to miss too many tackles.
LB Jarrad Davis
Last year Davis missed five games due to an ankle injury. He played great in his second year in 2018 after getting drafted in the first round in 2017. Davis finished with 100 tackles, six sacks, and five defended passes. Even with his success, Davis did have risk vs. the run, which wasn’t helped by a high number of missed tackles.
LB Reggie Ragland
In 2018, Ragland picked up 86 tackles with minimal value in the pass rush (0.5 sacks). The Chiefs only gave him seven starts last year. He held his own vs. the run while chipping in with some pressure on the quarterback.
CB Desmond Trufant
Trufant set a career-high in interceptions (4) in 2019 while only playing in nine games. He’ll help in run support, but his cover skills aren’t where they were when coming into the league.
CB Jeff Okudah
The Lions believe Okudah has the talent to fill the vacated shoe of Darius Slay in his rookie season. He should start in his first NFL game while offering upside in coverage.
S Duron Harmon
The Lions are expected to give Harmon plenty of snaps in 2020 after seeing plenty of action for the Patriots over the previous seven seasons. He’ll create turnovers with improvement in run support.
S Tracy Walker
In his second year, Walker posted 103 tackles, one Int, and eight defended passes over 13 games. Even with success, he did allow too many touchdowns with only league-average value defending the run.
Team Defense Outlook
Detroit has some interesting pieces on their defense, but they need to put pressure on the quarterback to correct their failure in pass coverage last year. I expect the run defense to be improved while still lacking the overall playmakers to make a push higher than league average as a fantasy defense. Possible matchup value if their cornerbacks play at a high level.
NASA is pushing back the launch of it next Mars rover, called Perseverance, by a week, due to a problem with the rocket that’s supposed to send the spacecraft to the Red Planet. The rover is now slated to launch no earlier than July 30th out of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
That puts the launch of Perseverance perilously close to the end of its limited launch window, which originally spanned from July 17th to August 11th. NASA and other space agencies only have a small window of time every two years to send spacecraft to Mars, when the Red Planet comes closest to Earth on its orbit around the Sun. NASA has already pushed back the launch a few times before, to July 20thand then to July 22nd, due to issues with the ground equipment that…
Researchers have made an important advance that could lead to more energy efficient magnetic memory storage components for computers and other devices.
The Tanglewood Music Festival and Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art bring the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts up to $150 million every year. But this year both of them are closed.
When travel becomes more ubiquitous (and safe) again, you’ll likely want to prioritize remote adventures. We found the most epic trips on all seven continents, from Ethiopia to Italy and beyond to give you some inspiration.
The Most Epic and Remote Adventures to Experience on All 7 Continents
Tuscany, Italy: An Adventure Renaissance
Even just saying the word Tuscany feels relaxing. But don’t mistake this part of Italy for being only about vineyard tours and villa escapes. The region has long been an under-the-radar haven for plucky Italians seeking out an adrenaline buzz, as I learned last year.
Mountain ranges like the dramatic Apuan Alps, which rise 6,000 feet from the Mediterranean Sea, and dormant volcanoes like Monte Amiata provide thrilling downhill mountain-bike runs and networks of forest hikes. There are quiet roads and gravel trails for road cycling, plenty of crags and ridges for climbing, and even canyoneering in narrow river canyons. Tuscany also has 140 miles of coastline for sailing, kayaking, or SUP-ing. Best of all, the region is chock-full of geothermal activity, meaning it’s littered with (mostly free) hot springs like those in the town of Saturnia, where hot sulfur pools are perfect for sore muscles. And yeah, there’s no shortage of vino to relax with, too. — Yvonne Gordon
1. Bike Parking
Monte Amiata ski resort has a beech forest with, come summer, 22 miles of downhill trails. Stay at the Hotel Le Macinaie ($55 per night), across from a local bike park.
The grounds at 14th-century Villa Barberino in TuscanyCourtesy of Villa Barberino
2. Estate Planning
If you’re headed to Tuscany, R&R is a must at some point, and there’s no better place than Villa Barberino, which dates to the 14th century and has a pool and gardens overlooking a peaceful valley.
Ligurian Sea coastlineYvonne Gordon
3. An Elba Escape
The Ligurian Sea coastline is stunning, with the Tuscan Archipelago’s seven islands just offshore. You can sail to the largest, Elba, by taking a boat from Piombino, then hike to the top of 3,343-foot Monte Capanne. It may be the Mediterranean’s best view.
Iberá Nature Reserve’s wetlands in ArgentinaRafael Abuin
Iberá Nature Reserve: Rewilding in Remote Argentina
This winter, while snapping a photo of a caiman—basically a South American alligator—in northern Argentina’s Iberá Nature Reserve, I was reminded of why this part of the world is so, well, wild. While stretching out my arm to snap a pic of the animal, which was maybe 10 feet away, I realized that my extended hand was hovering a foot above an even bigger caiman, obscured by the water. I nearly upended the kayak recoiling at its murky marble eyes.
But instead of chomping the iPhone out of my hand—and my arm along with it—it didn’t even seem to notice me. And that was my experience with nearly all of the animals I witnessed: curiosity rather than concern. This was undisturbed nature, where human presence is a novelty—and a sign that years of dedicated conservation work has paid off.
Iberá, a labyrinth of forests, grasslands, and shallow lagoons, is one of the world’s largest wetlands. Yet its name barely even registered two years ago, when a huge swath of it became a national park. Now tourists are catching on that there’s a swampy slice of Argentina that’s ripe for safari-style adventures to see giant anteaters, marsh deer, and capybaras, the world’s largest rodents.
Iberá may soon be one of the best places to see jaguars in the wildKarina Sporring
When I arrived after an overnight bus ride from Buenos Aires, the sun burst out of the pancake-flat wetlands as we raced rheas, a cousin of the ostrich, down red-dirt roads. The HQ for the nonprofit behind Iberá is Rincón del Socorro, a grand old estancia outfitted with timber furnishings and thick-framed animal portraits on the walls. It is the creation of Kris Tompkins, the former CEO of Patagonia, and her late husband, Doug, the co-founder of The North Face. Together, over two decades, they acquired private land that was ultimately donated to the federal government to create the park.
What were once rice fields and cattle ranches is now ground zero for the largest and most ambitious rewilding project in the Americas. Five locally extinct or endangered native species—including the pampas deer, giant anteater, and green-winged macaw—have been reintroduced since work began in 2007. The project will enter its next phase this year when as many as five young jaguars are released on the remote San Alonso Island. It’ll be the first time in over half a century that the wild cats have roamed this part of Argentina.
THIS IS UNDISTURBED NATURE, WHERE HUMAN PRESENCE IS A NOVELTY.
The project’s communications director, Rafael Abuin Aido, says that reintroducing the apex predator will be the ultimate test of the ecosystem’s health. If it works, he says, “Iberá has the potential to become the best destination in the world to see a jaguar in the wild.”
While staying there, I contented myself with evening paddles to the floating reed islands of Fernández Lagoon, where I tracked marsh deer and stumbled upon capybara mud baths. Mornings, I hiked along the 6.5-mile Sendero Lobo Cua, which skirts through a palm forest pulsating with the guttural roars of howler monkeys.
The air in the park was thick and herbaceous. More than once, I was tempted to dip my feet into one of Iberá’s 75 lagoons, but then thought better of it, remembering stories I heard in the lodge of old hunters who cooled off in the waters only to reemerge half-eaten by piranhas. Yes, this is unspoiled nature—in all its savage beauty. — Mark Johanson
A family in the Dassanech tribe outside their home.Chris Tinkler
Omo River, Ethiopia: Camping With Remote Tribes
When your dance partner has an AK-47, you choose your moves carefully. I learned this on my fourth night in Ethiopia’s Omo Valley, where a local people, the Mursi—known for the plates the women put in their lips—have decided to throw an impromptu dance party. A bonfire is ablaze, and a circle forms. I don’t understand the words of the songs, but I clap along to the rhythm. It doesn’t take long before a statuesque man, face painted white, approaches and begins to stamp the butt of his gun at my feet. I look around alarmed, then realize that this is the Mursi gesture for “Do you want to dance?”
Only a tiny number of travelers—just a few thousand—come to the Omo Valley each year, and the majority descend on markets and villages east of the Omo River to snap a few photos of the area’s famously adorned tribes (and often pay for the privilege). Then there are the 50 or so visitors, like myself, who take a boat to the remote, crocodile-infested Omo Delta and stay at Lale’s Camp, the only seasonal tourist camp in the valley. The fig-shaded camp—a sustainable tourism collaboration between outfitter Journeys by Design, Wild Expeditions, and Lale Biwa, a member of the local Kara people—offers what may be Africa’s most unique cultural experience: one where village life goes on around you, not for you.
The REASON TRAVEL IS SO TRANSFORMATIVE IS NOT THE LOCATION: IT’S THE PEOPLE.
A trip to the area starts in the capital of Addis Ababa, followed by a charter flight to the Omo Valley. After a boat ride up the river, seven spacious tents await, each equipped with running water, electricity, and flush toilets. It’s a cushy base for being so remote, but the real luxury is the location next to Dus, one of three settlements belonging to the Kara community. When our boat docks at Lale’s Camp, dozens of curious children escort me to shore, where a body-painting ceremony is already taking place. The adults, so engrossed in drawing ocher dots and charcoal stripes on each other, barely acknowledge my presence.
During my five-day stay, I also visit neighboring communities. A 4×4 ride from Lale’s Camp to a nearby Hamar village doubles as a wildlife safari, with Lale pointing out a leopard tortoise and dik-diks, tiny African antelopes. Similar to the Kara, the Hamar are known for decorating themselves with elaborate beads and body paint. Lale invites me into a hut where the men are passing around a gourd filled with a fermented brew. The homemade hooch is a staple of the Kara’s bull-jumping ceremony, a rite of passage where young men run naked over the backs of bulls lined up in a row.
To meet the Mursi, we travel three hours upriver by boat to a no-frills camp.
The Mursi walk eight hours down from the mountains and set up camp alongside us. In return for this meeting, Lale has brought them razor blades (used for scarification), food, and other supplies. The morning after our dance party, while walking among our hosts, I notice the women giggling while mimicking my terrible dancing. When one girl slips a plate into her stretched-out lower lip, I instinctually grab for my iPhone, then stop. Photos are discouraged here to help prevent locals from pandering to people like me. But the practice is beneficial to tourists, too. Standing there laughing with the women would not have been possible if I was focusing my gaze through a lens. Instead, I was able to fully immerse myself, to laugh along with them.
The reason travel is so transformative, after all, is not the location. It’s the people we meet and our candid interactions with them—even if it’s only through smiles, gestures, and, yes, some bad dance moves. — Jen Murphy
Whales chuffing through the channel near Deception Island, off the northern tip of AntarcticaBen Wallis
Antarctic Peninsula: Sailing the Coast of the Last Continent
Deception Island, off the northern tip of Antarctica, must count as one of the planet’s most freakish places. The hulls of 1900s whaling boats rest in the black sand while big blubber boilers fade on the beach like props in a steampunk dream. It’s a doughnut of land, a flooded caldera with a bay in the center where the active volcano there once heated the water high enough to strip the paint off ships.
A trip to this part of the Antarctic Peninsula—an 800-mile-long pinkie ringed with crabeater seals, chinstrap penguins, and colossal ice—is all about the boat, and ours was exceptional. The SV Australis was a 75-foot yacht with just 11 souls aboard, and Deception was one of the first stops on a 17-day journey. While using the ship, operated by outfitter Natural Habitat Adventures, as our floating home base, we paddled around icebergs glowing an alien green in Paradise Harbor.
Adélie penguins standing along Antarctic PeninsulaColin McNulty
We took Zodiacs to rocky beaches for snoozes in the sun. With no real schedule to keep, we’d cut the engines to listen to minke whales chuffing through the channel and camped for a night on a dollop of ice no bigger than a rink.
In the end, though, simply being onboard proved the most memorable. Many afternoons I’d climb into the crow’s nest to watch the ice slide around the bow or hang out on the bridge as hourglass dolphins played to starboard. Come evenings, we’d sit around a large table in the stern and eat lasagna and fish prepared by a French chef. Back home, I could hardly talk about it without getting choked up. Such is the power of Antarctica. — Tim Neville
Rafting on the Ganges RiverMP Pant / Shutterstock
Ganges River, India: Rafting the World’s Holiest River
In India, the Ganges River is sacred water, almost a deity unto itself. It may also be toxic and full of rotting bodies by the time it empties into the Bay of Bengal. But as it gushes from its source near the Tibetan border, it’s something else entirely: wild, unspoiled, and as blue as toothpaste. Outside the Himalayan town of Rishikesh, there’s a 25-mile section perfect for rafting, too, offering challenging Class III and IV rapids, as I discovered in December.
Rishikesh is often called the yoga capital of the world. Five decades ago, the Beatles traveled here for a course in transcendental meditation and inspired a generation of seekers to the area. These days, though, it’s more about adventure. “The type of people who came here in the past were looking for some sort of spiritual enlightenment, but the perception has changed,” said Deeya Bajaj, my guide at the rafting company Snow Leopard Adventures. The outfit operates three tented camps along the Ganges and has become the de facto operator for all things outdoors in this area of the country. In addition to rafting, there are a labyrinth of mountain paths for trekking, zip-line tours across canyons, and, farther afield, wildlife safaris to see Asian elephants and even Bengal tigers.
Of course, as you travel here, you pass constant reminders of the Rishikesh of yore. There are the Westerners plucking sitars at an ashram dedicated to the late, infamous guru Osho (of Wild Wild Country fame) or the sadhus (Hindu ascetics) laundering orange robes on the river’s edge. When you wash up in town, just below the now-abandoned “Beatles ashram,” it feels as if some form of enlightenment—be it in mind, body, or spirit—was an inevitable part of the journey. But such is India, even when all you’re after is a shot of adrenaline. — Mark Johanson
Tasmania, Australia: Down Under’s Wild Island
Surfing Shipstern in Tasmania, AustraliaCourtesy of Tourism Australia & Samuel Shelley
1. Surfing Shipstern
It’s numbingly cold and a four-mile hike to the water, but when it’s on, Shipstern Bluff churns one of the world’s most challenging big waves. “Tassie” also offers numerous gentler breaks, like Clifton Beach, Eaglehawk Neck, and Bruny Island—all within a 90-minute drive from Hobart.
Fishing for trout in Tasmania’s Western Lakes regionSteven Ooi
2. Lake Region Trout
The best sight fishing on the planet is found in Tasmania’s Western Lakes region. Here, seven-pound browns cruise gin-clear creeks and tarns, devour small frogs, and (if you can make a perfect cast) might even inhale your dry fly.
Saffire Freycinet hotel in AustraliaCourtesy Image
3. Upscale Digs
Set above the white sands of Great Oyster Bay, Saffire Freycinet is one of the best small hotels in all of Australia. It’s an ideal base camp for wildlife-watching hikes and kayaking or simply chilling, sampling local oysters, and sipping Tassie vintages.
Llama-packing in Yellowstone National ParkVan Holmes
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: Llama-Packing Into Grizzly Country
There’s a reason 4 million people visit Yellowstone National Park every year: It’s simply incredible. Bison, geysers, grizzly bears, wolves—the 2.2-million-acre park has them all. The bulk of visitors, however, don’t experience just how truly mind-blowing Yellowstone is. For that, you need to trek deep into the backcountry, and the best way to do that is via llamas—goofy, wily, lovable llamas.
Last summer, nine companions and I hiked 10 miles along Cache Creek, near the Lamar Valley, with a dozen of the animals. We caught cutthroat trout by the dozen, trekked high through pristine mountains, drank beer around campfires, and swam in frigid creeks. Mostly, though, we moved from camp to camp.
THE BEST WAY TO EXPERIENCE THE BACKCOUNTRY IS BY LLAMA—GOOFY, LOVABLE LLAMAS.
Llamas, which are bred to haul heavy stuff, proved precisely docile enough and just stubborn enough for the task. Low impact and low fuss, they knew exactly one command—“stand”—and they each schlepped 60 pounds of gear. They also had enough wherewithal to bark if they saw or smelled a predator nearby, making them an ideal guard for camp. “I sleep well with them surrounding us,” explained our guide, Thomas Baumeister, of Access Wild, a Yellowstone llama outfitter.
The llamas’ alertness came in handy on evening three. As our group sat around a campfire, the llamas, staked around camp, started to bark. We were grizzly-ready, having seen plenty of scat and other signs. We glassed the distant ridges. Nothing. An hour later: more barking. More glassing. Then a big male bison came sauntering down a bluff.
False alarm. Damn llamas! Then, as we settled back in around the fire, the yips and howls of wolves floated into camp. They were far off and of no real concern. But at least we knew. The llamas, meanwhile, just stood there, sort of barking, sort of brilliant. — J.R. Sullivan
The good songs on Dylan’s latest record inflate with interest; the mediocre songs start to shrink and slink away. And there’s a striking amount of upbeat rhythm & blues on the album.
Dr. Danielle Ofri says medical errors are more common than most people realize: “If we don’t talk about the emotions that keep doctors and nurses from speaking up, we’ll never solve this problem.”
