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Joins active roster
Mon, Sep 7, 2026, 7:15 PM
Bachie was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster Monday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: The linebacker spent training camp and the preseason with the Lions, got released on cutdown day and then signed to the practice squad. His promotion should be an indication that he'll at least play a special-teams role in Week 1 against the Saints. Bachie has played on more than 200 special-teams snaps in each of the last three NFL seasons. |
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Sione Vaki Sione Vaki Committee approach at RB2
Mon, Sep 7, 2026, 1:08 PM
Coach Dan Campbell said Monday that neither Vaki nor Jacob Saylors is viewed as the Lions' strict RB2, and Detroit will use a committee approach behind Jahmyr Gibbs, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.
Analysis: Isiah Pacheco was signed over the offseason to serve as the Lions' RB2 behind Gibbs, but he injured his back and is opening the regular season on injured reserve. Pacheco remains without a firm timetable for return, so it's Vaki and Saylors who will see elevated roles on game days. The inexperienced duo has combined for nine career regular-season carries. Gibbs is expected to have a heavy 2026 workload with David Montgomery out of town and now with the Texans. |
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Tay Martin Tay Martin Opens regular season as WR4
Sat, Sep 5, 2026, 9:31 AM
Martin is the fourth and final wide receiver on the Lions' 53-man active roster for the regular season, Tim Twentyman of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Martin is slotted behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa on the wide receiver depth chart, with Kendrick Law (knee) on season-ending injured reserve. The Lions could elevate Tom Kennedy or Lucky Jackson from the practice squad to the active roster for game day. However, for now, Martin is in line to operate in an elevated role in Detroit's offense, especially if one of Brown, Williams or TeSlaa were to miss time. |
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Jacob Saylors Jacob Saylors Earns trust of coaching staff
Sat, Sep 5, 2026, 9:24 AM
Saylors earned the trust of coaching staff during training camp and could see consistent playing time on both offense and special teams this season, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Analysis: Saylors had a strong training camp, and across three preseason games he logged 31 carries for 187 yards while catching five passes (on nine targets) for 40 yards. With Isiah Pacheco (back) on injured reserve with no clear return timeline, Saylors is poised to operate in an elevated role in the offense behind Jahmyr Gibbs, with 2024 fourth-rounder Sione Vaki also in the mix for backfield touches. |
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Sione Vaki Sione Vaki Elevated role sans Pacheco
Sat, Sep 5, 2026, 9:15 AM
Vaki is in line to operate in an elevated offensive role to open the regular season after Isiah Pacheco (back) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Analysis: Vaki and Jacob Saylors are the two healthy backup running backs on the roster behind Jahmyr Gibbs following Pacheco's placement on IR. Vaki has mostly operated on special teams since entering the league in 2024 as a fourth-round pick, but he'll have the opportunity to rotate with Saylors behind Gibbs for as long as Pacheco is shelved. |
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Sam LaPorta Sam LaPorta Sees no action in preseason
Fri, Sep 4, 2026, 5:59 PM
LaPorta (hip) didn't play in any of the Lions' preseason contests.
Analysis: LaPorta was rested in the team's exhibition opener, but a hip injury suffered in practice kept him on the sideline for the final two preseason games. He was able to return to drills as of Aug. 25, but it's unclear if he's put the issue behind him. LaPorta is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so he has every incentive to be as healthy as possible for a Week 1 matchup with the Saints on Sunday, Sept. 13. |
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Isaac TeSlaa Isaac TeSlaa Disappoints during second training camp
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 12:48 PM
TeSlaa will enter the season as the Lions' No. 3 receiver, despite a poor showing during training camp and going without a reception on three targets over 44 snaps during his two preseason appearances, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. "I'm not too concerned," wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said last week, regarding TeSlaa's lackluster camp. "I do want our guys making every single play. And we did hold him accountable for some of the things that went on, and that's the difference in being in the room and being outside of the room."
Analysis: TeSlaa operated primarily as the Lions' No. 4 receiver during his 2025 rookie campaign, appearing in all 17 games and finishing with a 16-239-6 receiving line on 27 targets. Even on the limited volume of targets, the 6-foot-4, 214-pound wideout made a number of highlight-reel grabs during his first NFL season, but he hasn't shown the same ability to win on contested balls during his second training camp. He also made a couple of critical blunders in the Lions' preseason-opening loss to the Bengals, dropping a pass that led to an interception and failing to reel in another catchable target on a fourth-down pass. Montgomery noted that getting more exposure to facing No. 1 cornerbacks in both camp and the preseason has likely played a part in TeSlaa's lack of output, but the Lions apparently saw enough growth from him beyond his box-score contributions to hand him the No. 3 job and keeping just four total receivers on the 53-man roster heading into Week 1. TeSlaa will still face a difficult path to fantasy relevance as the fifth option in the Detroit passing game when all of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta (hip) are available. |
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Jahmyr Gibbs Jahmyr Gibbs Reels off 59-yard run in final camp practice
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 11:15 AM
Gibbs had a strong day in the Lions' final practice of training camp Thursday, most notably running for 59- and 16-yard touchdowns during the session, Tim Twentyman of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: After being contained on the first two of the first-team offense's eight drives on the day, Gibbs delivered his biggest gain of the day on the Lions' third possession. On the second play of that drive, Gibbs followed a block from right guard Tate Ratledge, then found daylight while bouncing out to the outside and raced past cornerback Avonte Maddox for a 59-yard house call. He then finished practice with his second touchdown of the day, taking a fourth-and-1 pitch to the outside and following a Penei Sewell block to beat multiple defenders to the pylon. The two scoring jaunts were demonstrative of Gibbs' trademark explosiveness in open space, but now that David Montgomery is in Houston, the Lions are likely to turn to Gibbs to add more work to his plate in the form of increased usage in goal-line situations and as a runner on early downs. Detroit signed Isiah Pacheco this offseason with the goal of having him take on some of those functions that Montgomery had handled, but Pacheco won't be available until Week 5 at the earliest while he recovers from a back injury as well as an MCL sprain. |
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Jameson Williams Jameson Williams Stands out in final training camp session
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 10:51 AM
Williams concluded Lions training camp on a positive note Thursday, connecting with quarterback Jared Goff on a number of impressive contested catches throughout the day, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.
Analysis: Touted as a standout performer during the Lions' earlier workouts of the summer, Williams authored another strong performance in a scrimmage-style practice to wrap up camp. On the Lions' opening drive alone, Williams beat cornerback Rock Ya-Sin for a 22-yard gain on the first play of the day, reeled off a 18-yard gain on a screen play to convert a third-and-12 and evaded tight coverage to make a sliding catch on a five-yard pass to the back end of the zone on a fourth-and-goal. Williams recorded another reception on a post route later in the day to convert a third-and-10, but the play was negated by a holding penalty. While No. 1 wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown remains Detroit's clear top target in 2026, Williams should still be in store for reliable weekly volume in a consolidated passing game that also includes Sam LaPorta (hip) and running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Heading into the summer, No. 3 wideout Isaac TeSlaa looked like a potential candidate to carve out a more notable role in his second season, but didn't record a reception in either of his two preseason appearances and had a number of underwhelming performances during camp practices, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. |
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Jared Goff Jared Goff Guides 99-yard drive in final camp practice
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 10:20 AM
Goff closed out training camp on a high note Thursday, notably leading the Lions on a 99-yard touchdown drive during the first series of practice, Tim Twentyman of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Head coach Dan Campbell elected to put the offense in a tough spot to begin the final session of training camp, but Goff didn't wilt from the challenge. He found Jameson Williams for a 22-yard gain early on the drive to give the offense some breathing room, then completed five more pass attempts before an incompletion set up a fourth-and-goal from the five-yard line. Goff evaded some pressure on fourth down and connected with a tightly-covered Williams in the back of the end zone to wrap up the drive. The 31-year-old quarterback threw for another touchdown later in the session, finding top target Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 16-yard score on the second-to-last drive of the day. While his lack of rushing ability will likely prevent him from emerging as a truly elite fantasy option in 2026, Goff is about as steady of a performer as it gets at the quarterback position, as he's turned in three straight seasons of at least 4,500 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes. The Detroit defense is still looking suspect heading into the upcoming season -- especially in the secondary -- which could result in the offense being involved in frequent shootouts that would enhance the fantasy value of Goff and the team's other skill-position players. |
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Isiah Pacheco Isiah Pacheco Without timetable for return
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 10:10 AM
Lions GM Brad Holmes said Wednesday that Pacheco (back) doesn't have a clear timetable for return, Colton Pouncy of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Pacheco was placed on injured reserve with his back issue and will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. It sounds like his absence could extend beyond Week 5 when he's first eligible to play. In the meantime, Jacob Saylors looks like the direct backup to Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield. Gibbs could see some heavy snaps this season after the departure of steady veteran running mate David Montgomery over the offseason. |
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Amon-Ra St. Brown Amon-Ra St. Brown Ends camp on high note
Wed, Sep 2, 2026, 10:00 AM
St. Brown was a standout performer during the Lions' final practice of training camp Thursday, recording several receptions during team drills, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.
Analysis: St. Brown was particularly impressive on the Lions' second-to-last series of the day, when he had gains of 14, seven and four yards on receptions before beating cornerback Rock Ya-Sin on a post route for a 16-yard score to end the drive. He nearly added another touchdown to his ledger on the final drive, as he corralled a jump ball over Ya-Sin in the end zone before he was ruled to have bobbled the ball prior to stepping out of bounds. The performance marked an impressive end to what Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site labeled a "really strong camp" for St. Brown, who is once again ticketed for a high-volume role in the Detroit passing game and profiles as a strong first-round pick in fantasy drafts. |
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Isiah Pacheco Isiah Pacheco Moving to injured reserve
Tue, Sep 1, 2026, 3:28 PM
The Lions placed Pacheco (back) on injured reserve Tuesday.
Analysis: Pacheco joined Detroit in March on a one-year contract to serve as Jahmyr Gibbs' primary backup. Pacheco initially missed time during training camp due to a sprained MCL before a back injury now will force him to miss at least the first four games of the campaign while on IR. Currently, the Lions roster Sione Vaki, Jacob Saylors and Jabari Small as options to spell Gibbs from Weeks 1-4. |
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Tyler Conklin Tyler Conklin Back with Detroit
Tue, Sep 1, 2026, 3:27 PM
The Lions signed Conklin on Tuesday.
Analysis: Conklin failed to make the 53-man roster over the weekend but is quickly back with the team in a series of moves. The 31-year-old Conklin caught seven passes for 101 scoreless yards across 13 regular-season games with the Chargers last season and will serve as depth behind Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright with the Lions. |
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Reverts to IR
Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 8:01 PM
Niese (leg) reverted to the Lions' injured reserve list Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Analysis: Niese suffered a right leg injury in the Lions' preseason game against the Commanders on Aug. 22. The offensive lineman was waived Sunday with an injury designation and went unclaimed. Niese will now spend the entirety of the 2026 regular season on IR unless he is waived with an injury settlement. |
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Moved to reserve/NFI list
Mon, Aug 31, 2026, 6:13 PM
The Lions moved Manu (knee) to the reserve/non-football injury list Sunday.
Analysis: Manu continues to recover from a knee injury he sustained in October of 2025. He's required to miss at least the first four games of the regular season, meaning the earliest he can return is Week 5 against the Cardinals on Sunday, Oct. 11. |
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Placed on IR, designated to return
Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 9:24 PM
Mays (wrist) was placed on injured reserve by the Lions on Sunday with a designation to return, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports.
Analysis: Mays suffered a fractured wrist during the preseason, and he will now be forced to miss at least four games to open the regular season. The 27-year-old was expected to operate as the team's starting center this year, so in his absence, Seth McLaughlin will get a chance to handle that role to open 2026. |
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Placed on IR, designated to return
Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 9:24 PM
Mays (wrist) was placed on injured reserve on Sunday by the Lions with a designation to return, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports.
Analysis: Mays suffered a fractured wrist in early August, and he will now be forced to miss at least four contests to open the regular season. The 27-year-old is expected to operate as the team's starting center this season, and in his absence, Seth McLaughlin will get a chance to handle that role. |
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Stays on reserve/PUP list
Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 8:16 PM
The Lions placed Joseph (knee) on the reserve/PUP list Sunday, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports.
Analysis: Joseph was placed on the active/PUP list in late July and missed the entirety of the preseason due to a lingering knee injury he suffered during Week 6 of the 2025 campaign. The safety will need to miss the first four weeks of the season at least before he is eligible to return to the Lions' active roster. With Brian Branch (Achilles) also on the reserve/PUP list, Avonte Maddox and Chuck Clark will likely be the starting safety duo for the Lions' Week 1 contest against the Saints. |
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Placed on reserve/PUP list
Sun, Aug 30, 2026, 8:09 PM
The Lions placed Branch (Achilles) on the reserve/PUP list Sunday, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reports.
Analysis: Branch spent the entirety of training camp on the active/PUP list, enabling the safety to be placed on the reserve list to begin the regular season. The 24-year-old will now be required to miss the first four weeks of the season at least before he can return to the Lions' active roster. With fellow safety Kerby Joseph (knee) also on the reserve/PUP list, the tandem of Avonte Maddox and Chuck Clark will likely start the season in the Lions' secondary. |
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