4 breakout players to watch for in Lions' preseason bout vs. Falcons

The Detroit Lions are taking on the Atlanta Falcons on Friday night in their second preseason game of the season. While Atlanta has a few key players sitting out - Michael Penix Jr. likely the biggest name to not be participating in the game - Detroit will have yet another shot at looking at a few positional battles take shape on the field in the closest NFL action available to them.

There's a battle in the wide receiver room currently brewing between Isaac TeSlaa and Tim Patrick, with TeSlaa having shown some major positives during his NFL debut Hall of Fame game and with Patrick reportedly struggling at the start of training camp.

Another battle is for the role of QB2 behind Jared Goff headed into this season. Last week, Kyle Allen got the start over Hendon Hooker. This week, Hooker will get the call to start the game and likely the first two quarters of the contest.

There's plenty to look forward to in what seems like a meaningless preseason game on paper if you're a Lions fan.

4 breakout players to watch for vs. Falcons

Honorable mentions: Tyleik Williams and Tate Ratledge

We don't yet know as of Thursday afternoon whether the Lions will be letting Tyleik Williams and Tate Ratledge play in their first preseason game of the year. Both participated fully in training camp this week, but the team was undecided as to their availability for Friday night. If they do suit up, they're obvious players to keep an eye out for since they'll be making their respective NFL debuts.

Ahmed Hassanein

Hassanein looked poised in his first bit of NFL action during the Lions' Hall of Fame game. He was exhibiting signs of having studied a lot of Aidan Hutchinson tape, which is exactly what he was doing prior to the game. He managed to stop the Los Angeles Chargers in a few short yardage situations, showing his ability to act as a great run stuffer.

While it's unclear where on the depth chart Hassanein is expected to land, the raw prospect has shown enough in training camp and in one preseason game to show how valuable he could be as a backup to Aidan Hutchinson or Marcus Davenport. He will be in a fun rookie clash with James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker.

Isaac TeSlaa

Speaking of rookies, it'll be interesting to see how TeSlaa fares in this contest with Hooker throwing to him in the first half. TeSlaa was the best receiver for the Lions in their first preseason game, but the team opted to rely heavily on Craig Reynolds for offense against the Chargers' defensive line.

In this game, we should be looking to see how well Hooker can establish a rhythm as the starter with TeSlaa in tow - especially with fellow rookie receiver Dominic Lovett out for at least a week with an abdominal issue.

Rock Ya-Sin

Ya-Sin had an excellent game against the Chargers, managing to stop them on two separate attempts to score a touchdown right at the edge of the goal line. His tackling was sound, and his strength as a defender in space was on display. Ya-Sin might be getting an even grander opportunity to really show out against Atlanta given the recent injury to Ennis Rakestraw, which seems primed to keep him out for a majority of the season.

READ MORE: Lions' Kelvin Sheppard impressed with Aidan Hutchinson heading into the 2025 season

Giovanni Manu

Manu has had a disappointing training camp thus far. The left tackle has yet to develop into a solid backup to Taylor Decker and Dan Skipper, which is a bit troubling considering the injury woes those two veteran linemen have faced recently. With Decker back, though, Manu's role is a bit less pressure-cooked.

However, Manu still needs to show up in a big way on Friday night. If he's unable to provide decent protection for Hooker, who already has a propensity to peel out of the pocket and use his legs instead of his arm, then he risks losing his place on this roster.

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