D'Andre Swift Views Himself and Jamaal Williams as 'Tandem'
Lions running back D'Andre Swift will be one of the hottest second-year back commodities among fantasy owners going into the 2021 season.
The Georgia product will look to build upon a rookie campaign in which he logged 114 carries for 521 yards and eight touchdowns in 13 games.
He also proved to be a more-than-capable receiver out of the backfield, producing 46 catches for 357 yards and two scores.
His ability to thrive in the passing game is what has fantasy pundits and owners alike salivating at the mouth.
Swift talked about being a factor in Detroit's passing attack in a recent appearance on the "PFF Fantasy Football Podcast" with host Ian Hartitz.
On running routes, Swift told Hartitz that he's "definitely comfortable (and) can always get better at doing stuff like that."
Swift further added, "Whatever you ask me to do, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability for the team."
The only thing that might prevent the 2020 second-round pick from being a consistently productive fantasy back is the presence of former Green Bay Packers RB Jamaal Williams, a free-agent acquisition of the Lions earlier this offseason.
Swift feels like it should be a "tandem" between himself and Williams in Detroit's backfield.
"I don't want every carry on the field. I think the purpose is being healthy. It's a long season, (and) now (the NFL) added a game," Swift said. "So, you can't do it all by yourself. I learned that early on, at a young age."
George Walker IV, Tennessean.com, Imagn Content Services, LLC
Swift and Williams will be coached by first-year Lions running backs coach Duce Staley this upcoming season.
Staley played nine seasons in the league himself at the position, and served as the Philadelphia Eagles' running backs coach from 2013-20.
The coach-player dynamic between Staley and Swift has "been amazing" so far, according to Swift.
"I can tell already that he's going to take me to the level that I want to get to," Swift expressed. "It's about how detailed he is with his work and just everything he's implementing with us running backs. I'm very excited to work for him."
Swift, however, wasn't as excited about the possibility of a real lion being kept inside the team's practice facility in Allen Park -- an idea that new Detroit head man Dan Campbell had suggested on an episode of Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast this week.
"If you do it, it's got to be in the cage somewhere," Swift said. "I don't want to be looking behind my back, making sure that he's tamed or whatever."
Luckily, for Swift's sake, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is not going to allow Campbell to own a pet lion.
In response to Campbell's comments, PETA gifted the Lions' new sideline boss with a stuffed lion named Dan Detroit.
PETA also released a statement that read the following:
"No lion belongs in a barren cage or on a chain. If Coach Campbell makes Dan Detroit part of the Lions’ entourage, he’ll help PETA spread the message that lions are wild animals, not mascots, props or ‘pets.’"
No worries, D'Andre. You won't have to go through a drill in practice this season with a lion staring you down.
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