3 Lions players who should see the field more after the bye week

The Detroit Lions went into their Week 8 bye on a high note with a 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A dismal showing in Week 1 is far in the rearview mirror, and if a team could pick their bye week it would be at a relative midpoint of the season like this.

But even at 5-2, the Lions surely used the time without having a game to prepare for as a time to evaluate. Where can things improve? How do we keep the things that are working rolling like they've been?

On that front, adjustments in playing time can naturally come. Some players have shown they deserve to play more, while others have done the opposite.

As the Lions emerge from their bye, these players should be on the field more from here on out this season.

3 Lions who should play more after the bye week

3. EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad

Through seven games Muhammad has provided what the Lions needed in an edge rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson, with five sacks, 10 quarterback hits and four tackles for loss. Entering Week 8 he is also Pro Football Focus' 17th-highest graded edge rusher, with top-25 numbers in total pressures and pass rush win rate at the position.

Muhammad's track record may suggest he should stay more of a part time player (46 percent snap share so far this season), and the Lions seem to be somewhere in the market for an edge rusher as the trade deadline fast approaches.

But there's a case to stand pat there if a deal proves difficult to get done, and the simple idea of increasing Muhammad's workload puts Brad Holmes in a position where he doesn't have to be desperate to make a deal for edge rusher help.

2. WR Isaac TeSlaa

With so many mouths to feed in the Lions' offense, TeSlaa has struggled for opportunities with just three catches on six targets thus far. But he's also averaging 18 yards per catch, and two of those three gabs have gone for a touchdown.

The Lions use multiple tight ends a lot, with 42.75 percent of their offensive snaps in "12" or "13" personnel according to Sumer Sports. But they're still in "11" personnel over 53 percent of the time, and Kalif Raymond has played 40 percent of the offensive snaps as the third wide receiver through seven games.

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As will be mentioned similarly in regard to the next player on this list, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said "we'd like to use him more" after TeSlaa made a spectacular touchdown catch in Week 1. That obviously has not yet come to fruition in a meaningful way, but a bye week evaluation may (should?) change that.

1. RB David Montgomery

There were certainly signs offensive coordinator John Morton planned to get Jahmyr Gibbs more involved this season, and possibly tip the snap share/workload in the Lions' backfield toward the younger player. Through seven games that has come to fruition, with 130 touches for Gibbs to 89 for Montgomery. The root of that discrepancy is obvious, as Gibbs has also played 268 snaps (a 61 percent snap share) to 173 for Montgomery (a 40 percent snap share).

Dan Campbell called for Montgomery to be more involved heading into Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the matchup didn't line up for that to happen. It took the Lions running out the clock late in to give Montgomery his second game this season with more than 25 snaps, and more than a 39 percent snap share.

According to Next Gen Stats, entering Week 8, Montgomery is third in rushing yards over expected per attempt despite facing the highest rate of eight or more defenders in the box.

Spurred by Montgomery being out late last season, Gibbs topped 300 touches (302). He's not that far ahead of that pace right now, on pace for 315 touches, but no less an authority than Campbell wants to see a more balanced split of the backfield workload. There's plenty of room for it to happen.