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Targets Week 7 return
Mon, Sep 28, 2026, 8:05 PM
Mays (wrist) is targeting a Week 7 return from injured reserve, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Analysis: Mays was placed on IR during the Aug. 30 cutdown day. The center fractured his wrist in the preseason but is set to return to the active roster soon. If Mays can get back in action after the Lions' Week 6 bye, he should be able to reclaim the starting center role from Juice Scruggs to boost the team's interior offensive line. |
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Jake Bates Jake Bates Stays perfect on the year
Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 11:20 PM
Bates made a 30-yard field goal and all four of his extra-point tries in Sunday's 31-24 win over the Jets.
Analysis: The third-year pro is now 12-for-12 on extra-point attempts 3-for-3 on field-goal tries in 2026. Bates is also the beneficiary of an offense that has scored 31 points in all three games so far. |
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Sam LaPorta Sam LaPorta Three grabs in Week 3 win
Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 6:09 PM
LaPorta caught three of four targets for 44 yards in Sunday's 31-24 win over the Jets.
Analysis: The fourth-year tight end had his quietest game of the season, as five different Lions saw at least three targets from Jared Goff on the afternoon. LaPorta has been a complementary piece of an offense dominated by Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown in the early going, producing a 14-144-1 line on 19 targets through three contests. LaPorta will look to step up his numbers in Week 4 on the road against the Panthers. |
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Jameson Williams Jameson Williams Quiet again in Sunday's win
Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 6:02 PM
Williams caught all four of his targets for 49 yards in Sunday's 31-24 win over the Jets.
Analysis: The fifth-year wideout has watched Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown dominate the Lions' offense to begin the season, as that duo has combined for 11 total touchdowns -- including four in Sunday's win -- while Williams is still looking to make his first trip to the end zone in 2026. Williams will take a 10-137-0 line on 17 targets into a Week 4 tilt on the road against the Panthers. |
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Jared Goff Jared Goff Tosses two TDs in Week 3 win
Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 5:55 PM
Goff completed 25 of 32 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 31-24 win over the Jets. He added six rushing yards on four carries.
Analysis: The veteran QB found Amon-Ra St. Brown for a four-yard score in the second quarter and Jahmyr Gibbs for an 11-yard TD inside the final two minutes of the fourth for the game-winning points. Goff has tossed multiple touchdowns in three straight games to begin the year, completing 70.6 percent of his passes (77-for-109) for 802 yards and a stellar 8:0 TD:INT. He'll look to keep rolling in a Week 4 road clash against the Panthers. |
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Amon-Ra St. Brown Amon-Ra St. Brown Salvages day with TD in Week 3 win
Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 5:48 PM
St. Brown caught four of eight targets for 19 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 31-24 win over the Jets.
Analysis: The star wideout tied Jaymyr Gibbs to lead the Lions in targets, but St. Brown did little with his volume aside from a four-yard TD strike from Jared Goff in the second quarter. It was still St. Brown's fifth score of the season in three games, to go along with 23 catches for 228 yards on 35 targets. He'll likely get plenty of looks from Goff again in Week 4 on the road against the Panthers. |
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Jahmyr Gibbs Jahmyr Gibbs Makes three more trips to end zone Sunday
Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 5:44 PM
Gibbs carried the ball 20 times for 99 yards and two touchdowns while catching seven of eight targets for 65 yards and a third TD in Sunday's 31-24 win over the Jets.
Analysis: That's now six trips to the end zone in three games to begin the season for Gibbs, who ran it in from 17 yards and one yard before hauling in a game-winning 11-yard toss from Jared Goff inside the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. Gibbs has added 463 scrimmage yards to his ledger as well, more than earning his spot at the top of preseason draft boards. He'll look to keep rolling in a Week 4 road clash against the Panthers. |
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Tyler Conklin Tyler Conklin Won't play against old team Week 3
Sun, Sep 27, 2026, 11:09 AM
Conklin (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Jets.
Analysis: Conklin has been used sparingly through the first two games of the regular season, and the veteran tight end will be a healthy scratch Sunday against the team he played for from 2022 to 2024. Brock Wright and Jackson Meeks will provide depth at the position behind Sam LaPorta, and Conklin's next opportunity to play is Week 4 against the Panthers on Sunday, Oct. 4. |
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Placed on injured reserve
Sat, Sep 26, 2026, 4:03 PM
The Lions placed Harper (ankle) on injured reserve Saturday.
Analysis: Harper has not been able to practice since sustaining an ankle injury during the Lions' Week 2 loss to the Bills. The safety departing for IR leaves the Lions' secondary dangerously low on defensive backs, now without Harper, Avonte Maddox (foot), Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee). The Lions have elevated Jalen Mills from the practice squad to start at Strong Safety in Sunday's game against the Jets. |
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Ruled out for Sunday
Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 8:47 PM
Bartch (foot) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Jets, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Analysis: Bartch was unable to practice in Week 3 as he dealt with a foot injury he may have picked up during the Lions' Week 2 loss to the Bills. The Lions will only lose out on a depth option this week, as starting left guard Christian Mahogany has recovered from his hip injury enough to suit up for Sunday's contest against the Jets. |
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Ready to suit up Sunday
Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 8:43 PM
Ratledge (elbow) does not have any injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Jets, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Analysis: Ratledge was limited in back-to-back practices to start Week 3 before upgrading to a full participant in Friday's session. The starting right guard is set to suit up for Sunday's game. With Christian Mahogany and Blake Miller also set to suit up, the entire starting Lions offensive line will be able to support backup center Juice Scruggs in Sunday's contest. |
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Ready for Week 3
Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 8:34 PM
Miller (knee) does not have any injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Jets, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Analysis: Miller was a limited participant in the first two practices of Week 3 before upgrading to full participation in Friday's session. The rookie first-rounder is set to suit up for his second NFL game after a brief week-long hiatus spent dealing with a knee injury. |
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Ready for Sunday
Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 8:32 PM
Mahogany (hip) does not have any injury designation ahead of Sunday's game against the Jets, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Analysis: Mahogany opened Week 3 with back-to-back limited practices before upgrading to a full participant in Friday's session. The starting left guard is set to suit up for Sunday's contest after missing the Lions' Week 2 loss to the Bills. |
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Won't play in Week 3
Fri, Sep 25, 2026, 5:51 PM
Harper (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jets, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
Analysis: Harper was held out of practice all week due to an ankle injury, which he likely picked up during the Lions' 41-31 loss to the Bills in Week 2. The Lions' secondary is thin, especially with Avonte Maddox (foot, IR) out for the rest of the 2026 season, meaning that Detroit will have to turn to options like Bishop Fitzgerald, Christian Izien and even Roger McCreary to start at safety next to Chuck Clark. Harper will aim to recover enough to return for Week 4 against the Panthers on Sunday, Oct. 4. |
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DNP due to foot injury
Thu, Sep 24, 2026, 10:38 PM
Bartch (foot) did not participate in Thursday's practice.
Analysis: Bartch has missed each of the first two practices of Week 3 prep due to a foot injury that he may have picked up during the Lions' Week 2 loss to the Bills. He would need to practice in at least a limited capacity Friday to have a realistic chance of playing Sunday against the Jets. |
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Working through elbow issue
Thu, Sep 24, 2026, 10:34 PM
Ratledge (elbow) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Analysis: Ratledge has logged back-to-back limited practice due to an elbow injury that he may have picked up during Detroit's Week 2 loss to Buffalo. If he can log a full practice Friday, then Ratledge would likely avoid an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Jets. |
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Logs limited practice Thursday
Thu, Sep 24, 2026, 10:29 PM
Miller (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Analysis: Miller did not play against the Bills in Week 2 due to a knee injury, though he's been cleared to practice in each of the first two sessions of Week 3 prep, albeit in a limited capacity. A full practice Friday would likely be enough for Miller to avoid an injury designation for Sunday's home game against the Jets. |
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Still limited by hip injury
Thu, Sep 24, 2026, 10:26 PM
Mahogany (hip) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Analysis: Mahogany was unable to play against the Bills in Week 2 due to a hip injury, and he's opened Week 3 prep with back-to-back limited practices. Friday's injury report will provide clarity on the third-year offensive lineman's status for Sunday's game against the Jets. Ben Bartch (foot) and Tate Ratledge (elbow) are also working through injuries, leaving Miles Frazier and Seth McLaughlin as the only healthy reserve offensive linemen on the Lions' 53-man roster. |
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Misses another practice Thursday
Thu, Sep 24, 2026, 4:43 PM
Harper (ankle) did not practice Thursday, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.
Analysis: This will mark the second consecutive practice Harper has missed this week, so things aren't looking too promising ahead of the Week 3 meeting with the Jets. The 25-year-old appeared in both of Detroit's games this season, amassing five total tackles and two passes defended. |
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Officially moved to IR
Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 7:33 PM
The Lions placed Maddox (foot) on injured reserve Tuesday.
Analysis: Maddox will miss the rest of the 2026 season due to a left foot injury he sustained in the Lions' Week 2 loss to the Bills. He'll shift his focus toward being fully healthy for the 2027 campaign, though he'll enter the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. With Maddox, Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee) all sidelined, Thomas Harper and Chuck Clark will serve as Detroit's starting safeties. |
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