Head coach Dan Campbell said Swift (groin) is expected to return to practice Thursday, Eric Woodyard of ESPN reports. "[Swift] is trending the right way," Campbell said.

EDGE Analysis

Previous reports stated that Swift was expected to return to practice Tuesday, but that never came to fruition. Even if Swift does make it back on the field Thursday, there's no guarantee that he will make his preseason debut Saturday against the Steelers.

Swift (groin) is scheduled to return to practice Tuesday as a limited participant, Adam Hoge of NBC Sports Chicago reports.

EDGE Analysis

Swift isn't likely to be ready for Saturday's preseason game against Pittsburgh but could make it back for the exhibition finale against Indianapolis on Aug. 27. With Swift out of the lineup, Jamaal Williams dominated first-team snaps in Detroit's 16-15 loss to the Bills on Friday.

Coach Dan Campbell said the Lions are taking a "conservative" approach with Swift's groin injury, which is the reason he didn't suit up for Friday's preseason loss to the Bills, Chris Burke of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Campbell added Swift was healthy enough to play if Detroit needed him, but his health concern has lingered, hence the stated approach with his return. Plus, it's exhibition season, so it's no surprise the running back was kept on the sideline. In Swift's stead, Jamaal Williams got the start and mustered just 15 yards on nine carries.

Swift (groin) didn't play in Friday's preseason opener against the Bills.

EDGE Analysis

Jamaal Williams got the start at running back but managed only 15 yards on nine carries. Swift's the much more explosive option in Detroit's backfield and should get the majority of touches over Williams once healthy, especially if Williams continues to struggle. The 2020 second-round pick's next opportunity to see game action will come in Week 2 of preseason against the Steelers.

Swift (groin) has missed "significant practice time" recently, Kyle Meinke of MLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Swift has been limited since he left Wednesday's practice due to groin tightness. While the 2020 second-rounder has suited up nearly every day, he hasn't been able to participate much in 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills. The Lions haven't yet announced whether Swift will be available for Friday's preseason game against Buffalo, but any limitations presumably would lead to increased work with the first-team offense for Jamaal Williams.

Swift's practice reps have been limited of late by a tight groin, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. "He's bound pretty tight and he runs hot, so we're trying to get him (good work) and then back him down," coach Dan Campbell said of the running back.

EDGE Analysis

At this point, Swift's issue appears to be a minor one that the team is simply managing, with his Week 1 availability not a concern at this time. Swift currently heads the Detroit backfield depth chart, followed by Jamaal Williams and Jermar Jefferson, with Dedrick Mills and Michael Warren also in the mix.

Swift (undisclosed) departed Wednesday's practice early, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's unclear what exactly Swift may be dealing with, but Birkett noted he's had a "lighter workload" than fellow Lions running backs in recent sessions, so an injury could be holding him back. Having said that, Swift jogged to the locker room "under his own power" without a member of the training staff. If Swift misses any time in the coming days, Jamaal Williams, Jermar Jefferson and Dedrick Mills, among others, will receive a corresponding boost in practice reps.

Assistant head coach Duce Staley made it sound like Swift's role could significantly grow in 2021, suggesting that the "star" and "three-down back" could have 25 touches per game, Benjamin Raven of MLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Staley's comments are clearly an exaggeration considering no running back reached 25 touches per game in 2020. The only one who came close to reaching that feat, Derrick Henry, wasn't sharing time with another running back like Swift probably will be with Jamaal Williams, who was guaranteed over $3 million by Detroit in free agency this spring. However, given how many high-value touches Swift is expected to see in the passing game and around the goal line this year, the second-year pro probably won't need to see Henry-level usage to pay off his rising third-round ADP. After all, someone like Alvin Kamara -- who Swift is regularly compared to -- became a fantasy stalwart without ever topping 18.4 touches per game in any one season.

Swift is expected to share a large portion of the workload with recent signee Jamaal Williams according to offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, Chris Burke of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Lions emphasized adding depth at running back this offseason, signing Williams via free agency and drafting Jermar Jefferson in the seventh round. At least in the case of the former, Lynn seemed to suggest Williams could even work in tandem with Swift, saying, "I don't see them as being interchangeable, I see them more as being complementary. Swift is more of a speed-space back; Jamaal can be more of a between-the-tackles and sometimes perimeter." Adrian Peterson, who was not re-signed in the offseason, nearly doubled Swift's red-zone carries last year, so it's possible Williams could immediately fill that void. That being said, Swift never really saw consistent playing time with the Packers until Week 6 of last year and also missed three games due to injuries later in the season, so a bump in playing time is almost guaranteed. How Lynn's comments impact the backfield opportunities remains to be seen, but it's at least worth noting, given Swift's rightfully high fantasy outlook entering the 2021-2022 campaign.

Despite referring to Swift as a three-down back, Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn said Wednesday that he wants to find "someone else to go with him," Chris Burke of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

A 2020 second-round pick, Swift showcased three-down ability as a rookie, averaging 4.6 yards per carry and 6.3 yards per target while scoring 10 touchdowns on 160 touches. He should be locked in as Detroit's lead back under a new coaching staff, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll elevate to a 20-touch-per-week, RB1-type workload. While he was head coach for the Chargers, Lynn typically split snaps and touches between two or three backs, with his teams regularly ranked near the top of the league in percentage of targets (and fantasy points) going to running backs. Granted, Lynn's teams sometimes had both Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler available out of the backfield, while Detroit's options behind Swift appear questionable. Lynn's comments suggest he isn't too excited about Adrian Peterson (an impending free agent) or Kerryon Johnson, who has one year left on his rookie contract.