Our 2023 Detroit Lions season predictions series starts with our picks for Offensive MVP.

We’re officially just a week away from the Detroit Lions’ 2023 season opener. Seven days from now, the Lions will have the ultimate litmus test to see whether they have a chance to live up to the unprecedented hype. The Kansas City Chiefs are not just the reigning Super Bowl champs, but they’re arguably in the middle of a dynasty right now. We’ll find out in a hurry if Detroit is ready to compete with the big boys.

But before we get there, it’s time to unveil our staff’s predictions for the 2023 Lions. Over the next week, we’re going to be making our predictions on the following questions:

1. Who will be the Lions’ offensive MVP in 2023?
2. Who will be the Lions’ defensive MVP in 2023?
3. Who will be the Lions’ Rookie of the Year in 2023?
4. Who will win the NFC North?
5. What will the Lions’ record be in 2023? Will they make the playoffs?
6: Will the Lions win a playoff game for the 2023 season?

Let’s start things off today with offensive MVP.

Who will be the Lions’ 2023 offensive MVP?

Jeremy Reisman: Amon-Ra St. Brown

St. Brown is the Lions’ centerpiece on offense. He’s their go-to guy on third down, he’s capable of playing multiple positions, and he’s even so important to the team that he has a big influence on the offensive scheme. Not to mention, the kid’s relentless work ethic has proven to be contagious across the offensive roster.

Meko Scott: Amon-Ra St. Brown

This feels like a safe bet, but I’m going to put my money on Amon-Ra St. Brown. The Lions third-year WR showed great signs of improvement from his rookie to sophomore season and I don’t expect that to change. Prior to injuring his ankle in camp, St. Brown was reportedly torching all who dared line up opposite him. Whether you were friend or foe, the results were the same, and I expect that same level of play to continue throughout the regular season.

Brandon Knapp: Amon-Ra St. Brown

The number one wide receiver for the Lions will continue to have dominance on the field and as Jared Goff told Ben Johnson, he will be in for a big season. While the running game will take a step up with the offensive line health being the best its been in years, teams will start to respect the run more and leave more of the passing game as an afterthought. St. Brown will play more outside this season, but he will predominantly be a slot receiver who makes defenders look silly. The Lions will have themselves a top 5-10 WR on their team by the end of the season.

John Whiticar: Amon-Ra St. Brown

For as good as the offensive line was last season, for as promising as Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta are, and for as improved as Jared Goff was, the offense lives and dies by Amon-Ra St. Brown. When you factor in Jameson Williams’ suspension, St. Brown is far and away the best and most dangerous part of the passing game. Remove him from the lineup and Goff is throwing to Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, or rookies.

Morgan Cannon: Amon-Ra St. Brown

My answer here is none other than the Sun God, Amon-Ra St. Brown. St Brown is coming off of a monster sophomore season in 2022 and is poised to take another big step in 2023. He has consistently looked like the best player on the Lions’ offense, and his chemistry with quarterback Jared Goff should reach new levels in his third season.

Erik Schlitt: Jared Goff

My confidence and expectations for this team are high, and for them to ascend to the heights they are capable of reaching, it’ll be behind the arm of Jared Goff. While Goff will have a tough road maintaining his production down the stretch last season, this offense is loaded with weapons and returns its mastermind in Ben Johnson, who has designed their entire offensive approach with Goff in mind. This is his time.

Chris Perfett: Amon-Ra St. Brown

The legend continues unabated. You may say,” Chris, Jared Goff has to throw him the football. Chris, there’s more mouths to feed again this year. Chris, what about Jameson Williams? What about Jahmyr Gibbs? What about, what about?” Forget it, Jake. Your eyes are burning out of your sockets in face of his brilliance, his radiance, his eminence. You will not talk me down from this. This is Dark Souls now: you have a crap build and I am Ornstein and Smough. I will crush you and I will whisper: “Praise the sun.”

Kyle Yost: Amon-Ra St. Brown

Though the Lions added a pair of pass-catching options near the top of the draft and brought back Marvin Jones, this is still far from an elite group of receiving threats compared to the league’s best. Jared Goff has found a nice groove, and his style of play fits exactly with St. Brown’s strengths. If the Detroit offense is going to be successful, it will come through another big year by St. Brown, even if Jahmyr Gibbs (and even Jameson Williams) turn out to be big factors in the passing game.

Kellie Rowe: Jared Goff

You thought last year was his year? Nope, this is the year of Jared Goff. Entering his third season as a Lion, No. 16 will lead the pride to their first playoff win since 1992. He’s got powerful weapons at his disposal, one of the best offensive lines in the league, and another year under Ben Johnson. There’s a reason Johnson turned down head coaching opportunities—there’s something to believe in here in Detroit and that starts with Jared Goff.

Ryan Mathews: Amon-Ra St. Brown

If there is another football player who works harder to hone their craft than St. Brown, point him out. His route running and reliable hands set him apart from other wide receivers around the league, and there’s still room for growth in his game as a deep-ball option. His average depth of target (aDoT) was the third-lowest (6.7) among wideouts who lined up more than 50 percent of time in the slot, but with the additions to the run game, St. Brown could be a more explosive, downfield target in this Lions offense.

Jerry Mallory: Jared Goff

Everything should line up beautifully for the signal caller this year. We can’t predict who will stay healthy, but Detroit has a bevy of offensive weapons—new and old—a top-three offensive line, and arguably the league’s best offensive mind in Ben Johnson. The Lions’ situation closely resembles that of the Los Angeles Rams when Goff had his most successful seasons. But let’s not give all the credit to his supporting cast. Goff had a huge bounce back season in 2022 and should build off of it as he’s entering his prime.

Hamza Baccouche: Jared Goff

I think this one has to go the way of Jared Goff. His flashes of very high play in 2021 translated to prolonged stretches in 2022, and reports out of training camp is that we’ve seen him transition seamlessly to an offense without ARSB. That’s not the Jared Goff we saw when he first came to Detroit. I’m starting to believe this isn’t just a Ben Johnson effect, but a rare instance of the mid-career progression we see from quarterbacks. I think it sticks this year and Goff will really shed the proverbial shell we saw him first operate with in Detroit.