All offseason, the drumbeat for Marvin Jones has been getting louder and louder. Now, we get to finally toss that drum into the fire of the regular season.
With Calvin Johnson departing, he leaves 24.0% of the team's total targets from the 2015 season up for grabs. Some of those would obviously go to Golden Tate, but even that keeps Jones in a position where he could become a focal point of the offense. If he were to suck up some of the targets that were expected to go to Tate, then the upside in him would be immense.
It's not as if Jones is coming from obscurity with the Cincinnati Bengals. He saw 20.8% of their targets last year, getting at least 8 targets in six separate games. He handled the workload well, and he should see additional volume this year. That's why the hype around this guy is absolutely warranted.
The Lions' outlook isn't nearly as foggy as that of the Ravens, meaning there's a bit less upside to be had. So why, then, would we focus on them here? It seems as if any significant market share in Detroit will carry a heavier weight this year.
Top-5 Preseason No-Huddle Rates (2015%; rank)
SF 70% (6%; 20th)
DET 62% (7% 17th)
NYG 45% (54%; 2nd)
MIA 42% (9%; 14th)
CAR 38% (20%; 6th)
— Pat Thorman (@Pat_Thorman) August 29, 2016
A 23.0% market share in a fast-paced offense is wildly different than the same mark in a slower one. And when that team is running no huddle nearly as often as a Chip Kelly offense, you know you want a piece.
Jones' price is already increasing. But if he out-targets Tate in Week 1 on a high-paced offense in a great matchup, you won't be able to buy him. This is a situation we're monitoring, but you might need to act now in order to capitalize.