Amon-Ra St. Brown: Suiting up on Thanksgiving

A 2021 fourth-round pick who went beserk in the second half of his rookie year, St. Brown got it done from start to finish in 2022 and definitively answered any doubts about his Year 1 production. An ankle sprain in late September cost him one game and rendered him ineffective in the next two, yet he finished with 106 catches for 1,161 yards and six touchdowns, with no fewer than four receptions or 49 yards in any of his other 14 appearances. The Lions now hope 2022 first-rounder Jameson Williams can emerge as their primary perimeter weapon after a six-game suspension, but that would still leave a boatload of targets for the primarily slot-based St. Brown given the team’s otherwise mediocre depth chart at wide receiver and tight end. The tight ends, in particular, appear to be a weak point after last year’s T.J. Hockenson trade, leaving the short passing attack in the hands of St. Brown and running backs David Montgomery and 2023 first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs. Another 100-catch season is coming so long as St. Brown stays relatively healthy.

St. Brown was perhaps the most unlikely fantasy hero of 2021. His final stat line isn’t overwhelming, but he got there by finishing the year with six consecutive games of at least 10 targets, eight catches and 74 yards, scoring six TDs (one rushing) in that stretch. Neither particularly big nor fast, St. Brown nonetheless had some promise ahead of last year’s draft, after catching 178 passes for 2,270 yards and 16 TDs in two and a half seasons at USC. He caught 60 passes as a true freshman, consistently earning targets while playing alongside Michael Pittman (and later Drake London). A 4.51 40-yard dash at USC’s pro day may have contributed to the notion of St. Brown merely being a slot prospect, but he otherwise put up solid numbers, including a 38.5-inch vertical and 20 bench-press reps. The Lions drafted him early in the fourth round, initially installing him as their slot/third receiver. Eventually, though, his role expanded, with the rookie taking double-digit snaps on the perimeter each game from Week 12 on. He still played the slot, primarily, but the Lions got creative to spice up their otherwise moribund offense, even giving St. Brown seven carries over the final six weeks. He’ll have more competition for touches this year, featured alongside running back D’Andre Swift and tight end T.J. Hockenson in the Detroit offense, with veteran wideout DJ Chark and speedy rookie Jameson Williams (coming back from a torn ACL in January) being the wild cards. TBD if St. Brown is still a target hog.

The 112th overall pick in this year’s draft, St. Brown landed in a good spot. Not good in the sense he’ll be vying for a Super Bowl ring, but he will have a chance to see targets right away in an unsettled passing game. Journeymen Tyrell Williams (who missed all of last year with a shoulder injury) and Kalif Raymond appear to pace the depth chart, while last year’s fifth-rounder, the unestablished Quintez Cephus, has mostly worked with backups. At 5-11, 197, St. Brown, like Cephus, has poor timed speed (4.59 40), but still shows explosiveness (38.5-inch vertical, 127-inch broad jump). St. Brown probably projects best as a slot receiver, but he has the strength and physicality to operate on the outside if needed.