Lions general manager Bob Quinn said after the team's Week 17 win over the Packers that Ebron would be retained in 2018, Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though the Lions exercised Ebron's $8.25 million fifth-year option for 2018 last May, the team could cut him with few repercussions before the league year opens March 14. The Lions have since hired Matt Patricia as their new head coach, but it appears Ebron, who has been criticized for drops over his four years in the league, is still viewed highly within the organization after a strong finish to his past season. Ebron hauled in 33 of 47 targets for 340 yards and two touchdowns over the Lions' final seven games, with his catch and yardage totals ranking second and third, respectively, on the team over that span.

Ebron brought in one of six targets for nine yards during Sunday's 35-11 victory over Green Bay.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron's up-and-down season ended on a low note, which was a disappointment to many after the 2010 first-rounder collected 20 receptions, 210 receiving yards and two scores in his last three games. In fact, Ebron was putting the finishing touches on a drastic turnaround from his horrid start to the season in which he averaged 17.0 receiving yards on a 50-percent catch rate across the season's first six contests -- with the perceived draft bust even drawing boos at home from Detroit fans on multiple occasions. However, after averaging 4.3 targets per game over that stretch, the Lions seemingly made a concerted effort to get him more involved in the gameplan over the second half the season. The increased workload seemingly worked wonders, as Ebron averaged 6.0 looks per tilt the rest of the way and upped his receiving average to 51.4 receiving yards on a 67-percent catch rate in the following nine games. Despite this strong finish, it's not certain Ebron will be back with the Lions in 2018 even though the team picked up his fifth-year option last spring. His contract for next season is guaranteed for injury only and Detroit would be off the hook if they cut him prior to the start of the league year, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.

Ebron (knee) was a full practice participant Friday and doesn't have a designation on the final injury report for Sunday's game against the Packers.

EDGE Analysis

A limited participant the previous two days, Ebron answered any questions by logging a full session to close out the week. He's been making the most of his time on the field in recent weeks, recording six consecutive games with four or more catches on 42 or fewer snaps. The Lions still don't seem to trust Ebron when it comes to blocking, but he's been targeted on a whopping 22.5 percent of his snaps during the six-game stretch, averaging 5.3 catches for 55 yards on 6.8 targets with a pair of scores.

Ebron (knee) practiced in a limited capacity Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron missed five games between the 2015 and 2016 seasons due to a pair of knee injuries, but a limited showing Wednesday would seem to imply he's not in much danger of sitting out Week 17. That said, an absence would be a hit to the Lions' passing attack. Over the last nine games, he's put up at least 33 receiving yards on each occasion while reaching the end zone three times. As a result, his status should be watched closely as the weekend draws closer.

Ebron caught five of eight targets for 83 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 26-17 loss to the Bengals.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron tied for the team lead in targets while leading the way in catches and receiving yards. He got the scoring started with a 33-yard touchdown grab in the first quarter for his second trip to the end zone in as many weeks. After topping three catches just once through the first nine games -- leading to intense trade speculation -- Ebron now has at least four receptions in each of the last six games and has his top two yardage outputs over the last three weeks. While the Lions are now eliminated from playoff contention, Ebron will look to cap off a strong finish to the season next week against the Packers.

Ebron caught five of seven targets for 33 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's 20-10 victory over Chicago.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron has now paced the Lions in targets for a second consecutive week, which is a strange development as he regularly operated as the No. 4 of 5 option in the passing game all season. Furthermore, he's now caught at least four passes in each of his last fives while averaging 6.6 targets and 49.6 receiving yards across that span. In his previous nine contests, Ebron was logging just 2.2 receptions for 26.0 receiving yards on 4.3 looks per game. The reason for this increased productivity isn't clear, but it surely isn't due to some sort of increased role in the red zone, considering Ebron saw only two red-zone targets in that productive five-game stretch and is averaging just 0.47 looks in that area per game on the year.

Ebron brought in 10 of 11 targets for 94 yards in Sunday's 24-21 win over the Buccaneers. He also lost a fumble.

EDGE Analysis

The inconsistent tight end's season-best performance came out of nowhere, and was particularly surprising considering the Buccaneers checked into Sunday's contest as one of the stingiest in the NFL against tight ends. Ebron regularly got the better of Tampa's linebackers and safeties throughout the afternoon while posting season highs in receptions, targets and yards. The five-year veteran's production is still hard to trust on a week-to-week basis, but he offers some modest fantasy upside at the volatile tight end position. Ebron will look to put together a successful encore versus the Bears in Week 15.

Ebron secured all four of his targets for 38 yards during Sunday's 44-20 loss to the Ravens.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron's workload remained modest and his longest gain went for just 13 yards. Both Darren Fells and rookie Michael Roberts saw similar playing time, too. Per usual, there's little upside to found in this tight-end-by-committee approach the Lions are fond of. Ebron isn't a recommended fantasy options in Week 14 despite the appealing matchup against Tampa Bay.

Ebron secured all four of his targets for 34 yards during Thursday's 30-23 loss to the Vikings.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron finished third on the team in targets, but still isn't proving to be much of a fantasy factor. He's only topped 50 receiving yards in one game this season, which was due to a single 44-yard gain against Pittsburgh in Week 8. Furthermore, he's only found the end zone twice all year and both came against two of the worst defenses against tight ends this season, that being the Giants and Browns. With bye weeks now over and little upside to his name, Ebron belongs on the waiver wire in most formats.

Ebron caught four of seven targets for 49 yards during Sunday's 27-24 victory over the Bears.

EDGE Analysis

Ebron looks to be reasserting himself as a legitimate weapon down the field, as he's now averaging five targets and 45.3 receiving yards per game across his past four appearances. Meanwhile, Darren Fells has only seen 1.5 targets and 7.8 receiving yards per game during that same stretch. Although Fells actually garnered more playing time Sunday, it nonetheless seems that this tight end corps is settling in as we expected in the preseason with Fells the blocking specialist and Ebron the more capable receiver.