5 things to watch in Detroit Lions’ preseason game vs. Chiefs

In less than 24 hours, the Detroit Lions will be two-thirds of the way through the preseason and completely done with their preseason road games.

They’ll face an interesting test on Saturday at Kansas City, as the Chiefs are expected to play their starters for the entire first half.

That is not expected to be the case for Detroit. Although a handful of starters may play briefly, the backups are again in line to get the bulk of the work, so they’ll be challenged by the Chiefs.

With that in mind, here are five things to watch in the Lions’ second preseason game.

Wide receiver play

The Lions and head coach Dan Campbell have been hoping to see some guys ball out and grab a roster spot at wide receiver to help replace Josh Reynolds.

Donovan Peoples-Jones, Isaiah Williams, Daurice Fountain and Tre’Quan Smith are among those trying to stake their claim to a job, but Campbell has said he’s wanting to see more.

With the preseason quickly winding down and Antoine Green getting hurt in last week’s game, performances on Saturday could go a long way toward determining how the competition shakes out.

Backup QBs

Hendon Hooker unfortunately suffered a concussion last week against the Giants but surprisingly returned to practice late this week and could play on Saturday.

If he does, it’ll be great to see how he looks since he only had nine throws against the Giants.

Either way, Nate Sudfeld will also be closely watched after he went 13-of-24 for 94 yards and an interception in the preseason-opener, failing to inspire much confidence.

As the veteran, the Lions are expecting more than that out of him, and he’ll certainly be tested by the Chiefs.

Depending on how things go, maybe Jake Fromm, who was signed to fill in while Hooker was injured, will also see the field.

Young defensive linemen

While the competition for depth spots is always worth watching for every position, the defensive line depth battle seems particularly noteworthy for the Lions.

Nate Lynn landed on injured reserve after the Giants game, and both Mekhi Wingo and James Houston, who’ve done some good things in camp, had mediocre showings in the preseason-opener while Brodric Martin and Isaac Ukwu had good flashes.

Houston has been banged up but, if he plays, can he and Wingo make some noise against the Chiefs or could they be potential cuts?

Jake Bates

The kickers were being watched closely coming into camp and the attention on Bates has only grown since Michael Badgley suffered a season-ending injury.

His leg strength is undeniable but he’s been inconsistent in camp.

After making his lone field goal attempt against the Giants, another perfect showing would go a long way toward easing concerns about his reliability.

Sione Vaki

Campbell has tempered expectations for the fourth-round pick during camp, noting he’s doing well but is still learning the running back position. Additionally, Vaki only got four touches against the Giants, but he flashed.

Will he get more opportunities against the Chiefs? And, if he does and flashes again, could he make a case for even a small role this season?

That may be wishful thinking but he’s certainly exciting to watch and his progression will be fun to follow.

The Lions and Chiefs are scheduled to kick off at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday. They’ll wrap up the preseason at Ford Field next weekend against Pittsburgh.