2. Safety Brian Branch, 23
Branch is a versatile player who can play the nickel and safety and really settled in nicely at safety next to Kerby Joseph last season. The two form the best safety duo in the NFL. Branch's ability to cover slot receivers and cover tight ends along with being able to tackle in space opens up so much for the Lions' defense.
Branch ranks behind only Baltimore's Kyle Hamilton among qualifying safeties in both career PFF overall grade and career PFF coverage grade (84.3). He recorded 109 tackles (79 solo), 16 passes defended, eight tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, four interceptions, one sack and one forced fumble last year. He is only the third defensive back in the NFL since at least 1999 to post 100 tackles, 15 passes defended and five tackles for loss in a season, and it was just his first season playing safety full-time. Scary.
3. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs, 23
Last season Gibbs became the second running back in franchise history to top 1,900 scrimmage yards (1,929) and 16 scrimmage touchdowns (20) in a season, joining Billy Sims in 1980. Gibbs was fifth in the NFL in rushing yards (1,412), third in rushing average (5.65), third in 10-plus yard runs (41) and his 20 total touchdowns led all running backs.
He became a terrific receiving threat out of the backfield with more than 500 receiving yards last season. Simply put, he's become one of the most explosive all-around weapons in the NFL and is only entering Year 3.