Brian Branch

Brian Branch

23-Year-Old SafetyS
Detroit Lions
Questionable
Injury Ankle
Est. Return 10/12/2025
Wed Practice: Limited
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Branch was one of the few key players on the Lions' defense to avoid major injury in 2024, and he entrenched himself as both a key chess piece for Detroit as well as one of the best safeties around the league. As was the case in his rookie year, he played all over the secondary in 2024, though his decreased usage in the slot and increased snap count as a strong safety helped him increase his tackle total relative to his rookie year. That should remain the case for two reasons in 2025. First, Ennis Rakestraw - a second-round pick in 2024 - should be healthy to begin the campaign and is the favorite to claim the slot corner role. Second, Branch has quickly proven to be elite as both a run defender (his 8.4 run stuff percentage was the most among safeties that played more than 15 snaps, per PFF) and pass rusher, meaning the Lions should want to use him a healthy amount of time in the box. That will allow him to contribute across the stat sheet and remain an elite safety option in IDP leagues. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#136
ADP
#Subscriber-Only
IDP
Signed a four-year, $8.02 million contract with the Lions in July of 2023.
Working through ankle injury
SDetroit Lions
Ankle
October 8, 2025
Branch was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to an ankle injury.
ANALYSIS
Branch logged four tackles (one solo) during the Lions' Week 5 win over the Bengals. He briefly left the game due to an injury, and it is an ankle issue that limited his participation during the Lions' first practice of the week. Branch will have two more days to upgrade his practice participation and avoid an injury tag heading into Sunday's road clash against the Chiefs.
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NFL Stats
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2025 NFL Game Log
2025
2024
2023
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Detroit LionsLions 2025 S Snap Distribution
#% of Team Snaps

29097%
24296%
26187%
21385%
93%
94%
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2025 Brian Branch Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Brian Branch's measurables compare to other safeties?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 0"
 
Weight
203 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.58 sec
 
Vertical Jump
34.5 in
 
Bench Press
14 reps
 
Hand Length
9.50 in
 
Arm Length
30.75 in
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Brian Branch See More
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Brian Branch See More
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2023
Branch was considered one of the better defensive backs in the 2023 NFL Draft, proving to be a steal after he fell to Detroit in the second round. During his rookie campaign, the 22-year-old recorded 74 tackles, including a sack, while also forcing a fumble. Playing both nickel cornerback and safety, the latter of which he settled into as the season went on, he compiled 13 pass deflections and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Branch figures to operate as Detroit's primary strong safety in 2024, a role in which he likely will continue to flourish.
Branch was regarded as one of the better safety prospects in the 2023 draft class, despite falling to the second round. However, with nickel back C.J. Gardner-Johnson joining Tracy Walker atop the depth chart and 2022 second-round pick in Kerby Joseph coming off a promising rookie season, Branch seems headed for nothing more than a rotational role in Year 1 with the Lions.
More Fantasy News
Posts modest numbers in Week 5
SDetroit Lions
October 6, 2025
Branch finished with four tackles (one solo) Sunday in a 37-24 victory versus Cincinnati.
ANALYSIS
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Defends three passes vs. Cleveland
SDetroit Lions
September 29, 2025
Branch logged five tackles (three solo) and three pass defenses during the Lions' 34-10 win over the Browns on Sunday.
ANALYSIS
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Notches six stops against Ravens
SDetroit Lions
September 22, 2025
Branch finished Monday's 38-30 Week 3 win over Baltimore with six tackles (five solo) and a defensed pass.
ANALYSIS
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Dominant in win
SDetroit Lions
September 16, 2025
Branch tallied six tackles (six solo), including 1.0 sacks, during Detroit's win over the Bears on Sunday.
ANALYSIS
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Commits costly penalty vs. Packers
SDetroit Lions
September 8, 2025
Branch recorded five tackles (four solo) during the Lions' 27-13 loss to the Packers on Sunday.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Ranked second-best among safeties
SDetroit Lions
July 12, 2025
Branch was ranked the league's second-best safety based on votes from a combination of NFL executives, scouts and coaches, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
ANALYSIS
The top spot unsurprisingly went to Kyle Hamilton, who remains the consensus best safety in the NFL, but Branch is now viewed as the best of the rest. Branch has assuaged any concerns about his coverage ability coming out of Alabama, which pushed him down to the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He had 16 passes defensed to go with his 109 tackles in the 2024 regular season, and Branch's 21.1 percent ball-hawking rate was second-highest among safeties that faced 50 or more targets.
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