Due to poor offensive line play and injuries, the Detroit Lions finished 2014 ranked just 28th in rushing (88.9 yards per game). To remedy this, the Lions drafted guard Laken Tomlinson in the first-round, traded for center Manny Ramirez and selected running back Ameer Abdullah in the second-round. Abdullah has looked fantastic this preseason, showcasing impressive breakaway speed and threatening incumbent starter Joique Bell. However, Bell has been the No. 1 back ever since coming off the PUP list and isn't going to easily relinquish his starting job.
"[Bell] actually told me last week he feels better than he has in a couple years after getting the knee and Achilles injuries that have plagued him taken care of this offseason," Tim Twentyman of Detroitlions.com wrote.
"Bell, 29, is motivated to have a 1,000 yard season and prove he's well-worth the $9.3 million contract he signed last offseason.
"He'll be the starter and I'd expect he gets the most carries. Abdullah will get a solid 10-15 touches, depending on how the game is going. That could change from week-to-week depending on the matchup. San Diego had the league's 26th rush defense last year and didn't add a lot to improve that area this offseason. I suspect the Lions will try to establish the run early and often, first with Bell and then a change of pace with Abdullah."
Bell is coming off a career-high 860 rushing yards, but he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry for the second straight season and posted a career low in receptions (34) and receiving yards (322). The veteran is a solid player, but some believe Abdullah is more dynamic and therefore should be the centerpiece of Detroit's rushing attack.
"...Instead of looking who might rush for the most yards, let's instead look at who needs to rush for the most yards," Jamie Samuelson of the Detroit Free Press wrote. "In other words, if the Lions are going to win like they did last year, challenge the Packers for the NFC North and advance to the postseason, they need Ameer Abdullah to be their leading rusher. This is taking nothing away from Bell who is a valuable member of the team and who, as we said, led the Lions to the playoffs last season as their main running back.
"But if the Lions take that next step, where the offense goes from being just good enough to being a difference maker in multiple games, Abdullah is the key."
We'll see how the workload shakes out this Sunday when the Lions take on the San Diego Chargers.
