Detroit plans to use Tom Kennedy as its Week 1 punt returner

Detroit special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said Thursday that the Lions plan to use Tom Kennedy on punt returns against New Orleans in Week 1. The assignment gives a clear purpose to Kennedy's return after the Lions released him at the cutdown, signed him to the practice squad and then listed a September 10 free-agent signing with the league.

Kennedy has recent evidence in the job. He averaged 16.7 yards per punt return while filling in late last season and 27.9 yards per kickoff return. Those numbers came in a limited sample, but they help explain why Detroit returned to a familiar player for the opener.

The role was open because Kalif Raymond left in free agency after setting the franchise return-yardage record. Detroit spent the summer considering several replacements, including Kennedy, Greg Dortch, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Isiah Pacheco. Dortch was released at the cutdown, while Pacheco later went to injured reserve. Kennedy remained available when Detroit needed to settle its opening plan.

For most RSO formats, the fantasy effect is modest. Punt-return yards count only in leagues that award them, and Kennedy has not been promised a regular offensive workload. Managers in return-yard or very deep leagues should check their scoring before acting. Everyone else can use the move as a reminder that special-teams assignments often decide the final active receivers.

Personnel can still change before kickoff, and the first game will reveal whether Kennedy handles every punt or shares the job. It will also show whether he receives any offensive snaps. Clean decisions and positive returns would strengthen his weekly place. A narrow return-only assignment would keep him valuable to Detroit without creating conventional fantasy volume.

Kennedy's path from release to practice squad to the Week 1 return plan shows why the bottom of a roster remains fluid. Detroit returned to a familiar receiver because it had a specific specialist job to fill.