Lions Starters Who Should Play against Chiefs

These three Lions players should play in Saturday's preseason game with Kansas City.

Jan 7, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions punt returner Kalif Raymond (11) points upfield while being chased by Minnesota Vikings cornerback NaJee Thompson (11) on a punt return in the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports / Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday, the Detroit Lions will do battle with the Kansas City Chiefs as part of Week 2 of the NFL preseason. And when Dan Campbell's squad takes the field at Arrowhead Stadium, there’s a chance you'll see multiple Lions starters. 

Let's take a look now at three Detroit first-teamers who should play Saturday against the reigning Super Bowl champions.

WR Kalif Raymond

Raymond is one of the Lions’ most dynamic players. He has the ability to make an impact both at receiver and on special teams as a punt returner. 

In 2023, the Holy Cross product recorded 489 receiving yards, and added another 331 yards as a returner.

With Josh Reynolds and Antoine Green no longer with the Lions, the 30-year-old will likely have the opportunity to make an even bigger impact as a receiver in 2024. And maybe, just maybe, he could find himself as the team's No. 3 receiver by season's end. 

I'd like to see what he could do with a couple series worth of reps on Saturday against the Chiefs.

More: Six Lions Shining at Training Camp

DL Levi Onwuzurike 

Onwuzurike looks like a changed man so far in camp. The 2021 second-round pick – whose stock has been on the rise – heads into a pivotal season for himself, with it being the final year of his rookie contract.

His career has never truly gotten off the ground, but there has been evidence that Dan Campbell and the Lions’ coaching staff still believe in the Washington product. For instance, they've provided him with some first-team reps at defensive end through the first few weeks of camp. So, he still has a chance to carve out a role for himself in Aaron Glenn's defense. 

It'll be intriguing to see how many reps the defensive lineman gets against the Chiefs.

EDGE Marcus Davenport 

The Lions might just have found an EDGE counterpart for Aidan Hutchinson in the form of Davenport.

Detroit has desperately been in need of a running mate for Hutchinson since the Michigan product entered the league. And, at the very least, Davenport – formerly of the Saints and the Vikings – has years of experience manning the position.

“He's a big, long, athletic guy with a lot of position flexibility,” Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams said of Davenport in June. “He has a history of playing very, very physical in this league. I mean, we've got two really big defensive ends with him and Hutch — two long, athletic dudes. That's really what we're expecting from him is to play how he looks. We're excited about that.”

Over the first few weeks of camp, Davenport has had his moments of looking disruptive. For Detroit's sake, hopefully it's a sign of things to come from the seventh-year pro.

Additional reading

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