D’Andre Swift, Detroit Lions

After years of poor running back play, the Lions thought they found their answer in the second-round of the 2018 NFL Draft when they selected Kerryon Johnson. Unfortunately, Johnson battled injuries during his first two seasons and never fully maximized his potential.

Fearing that Johnson might never regain his health, the Lions used the 35th overall pick in this year’s draft on Swift. The Georgia product joins a messy backfield that already includes Kerryon Johnson, Ty Johnson, and Bo Scarbrough.

It’s hard to predict how many carries Detroit will allot to Swift. Last season, Detroit’s top four running backs accounted for 303 carries. Considering that the team didn’t have Matthew Stafford for half the season, Detroit’s backs might receive fewer touches when the quarterback returns in 2020.

On the other hand, now that the Lions have at least one reliable player in their backfield, Detroit could prioritize running the ball more. The whole situation remains up in the air.

After what we saw from Swift at Georgia, I believe he’s a future NFL star. However, Swift could become the most under-utilized starting back in the NFC North. With more experienced backs already on the roster, I think Swift sees a limited number of touches early in 2020 before gradually ramping up his role on the team.

Prediction for Swift in 2020: 200 attempts, 1,000 yards, seven touchdowns