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Fantasy Football Week 5: Eric Ebron Not Quite Starting Caliber Yet

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By @teapester725

Eric Ebron and Jim Caldwell Lions

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With an already explosive offense in place, the Detroit Lions made Eric Ebron their first-round pick in 2014. Ebron was being brought along slowly, but with an injury to fellow tight end Joseph Fauria, Ebron should see his role increase in the coming weeks. Even with the increased snap count, Ebron makes for a risky fantasy football play.

Through four games, Ebron has been targeted only nine times, going without a target in two of those four. Last week against the New York Jets, Ebron caught his first career touchdown and is trending upwards.

With Calvin Johnson being hobbled with an ankle injury, Ebron was a bigger part of the Lions’ game plan than normal against the Jets. While Johnson is still hobbled, he looks like he will play. The question is if he will be used as a decoy again, or perform like the Megatron we have become accustomed to seeing.

In addition to Fauria, running back Joique Bell is also out against the Buffalo Bills, leaving the Lions without two of their offensive weapons. There is a role for Ebron to fill this week, but he is still a risky play against the Bills.

On the season, the Bills are surrendering only 6.25 fantasy points to opposing tight ends. That includes matchups with Martellus Bennett in Week 1, Charles Clay in Week 2 and Antonio Gates in Week 3. Those players are all bigger parts of their respective team’s game plans than Ebron, yet they still saw little success against the Bills’ defense.

Ebron is definitely trending in the right direction, and is worth a speculative addition, but has to prove more until he can be trusted as a starter. He has a great opportunity to move up the Lions’ depth chart, but for now should remain benched in fantasy leagues. He cannot be trusted against a team that is as stingy against opposing tight ends as the Bills are.

Ebron has a lot of intrigue in the fantasy world because of the offense he plays in and the athleticism he possesses. But for this week, Ebron should still be sitting.

Kenneth Teape is a New York Giants writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @teapester725 or join his Google network

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