The Detroit Lions head into Week 3 with a depth chart that mixes the familiar with a few fresh wrinkles, and Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET matchup with the New York Jets at Ford Field will give those moving pieces another test.
At quarterback, Jared Goff remains the clear starter, with Josh Dobbs backing him up. The running back group is led by Jahmyr Gibbs, followed by Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors, who is listed on the injured list.
The receiving room is set with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams at the top, then Isaac TeSlaa, Tay Martin and Tom Kennedy. At tight end, Sam LaPorta is joined by Brock Wright, Tyler Conklin and Jackson Meeks.
Up front, the Lions list their projected regular-season starters along the offensive line: Penei Sewell at left tackle, Christian Mahogany at left guard, Juice Scruggs at center, Tate Ratledge at right guard and Blake Miller* at right tackle. Mahogany is dealing with a hip issue but is not listed with an injury designation, while Ratledge is handling an elbow issue and Miller has a knee issue; neither carries an injury designation.
The defensive front includes Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams, Skyler Gill-Howard*, Levi Onwuzurike and Mekhi Wingo. On the edge, Aidan Hutchinson leads the group alongside DJ Wonnum, Tyler Lacy, Derrick Moore*, Eric O’Neill* and Ahmed Hassanein, who is listed with an illness but also not carrying an injury designation.
In the secondary, the cornerback group features D.J. Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, Roger McCreary, Khalil Dorsey, Keith Abney*, and Ennis Rakestraw. At safety, the Lions have Chuck Clark, Christian Izien, Jalen Mills and Bishop Fitzgerald*, with Mills elevated from the practice squad for this game and Fitzgerald signed off the Steelers practice squad this week.
The specialists are unchanged: Jack Fox at punter, Jake Bates at kicker, and Hogan Hatten at long snapper. Hatten is dealing with a wrist issue but is not listed with an injury designation.
In Other News...
Lions Fans Are Losing Faith But Still See One Immediate Chance
A rough Week 2 has clearly taken some shine off the Lions early-season buzz, at least in the eyes of the fan base. In the latest SB Nation Reacts survey sponsored by FanDuel Sportsbook, confidence in the direction of the organization slipped from the previous week, and fewer than half of respondents said they still felt good about where things are headed.
Even so, the mood is not close to panic just yet, because Detroit has an immediate chance to steady itself in Week 3 against the New York Jets. Fans may be cooling on the bigger picture after the loss, but the upcoming matchup still looks like the kind of spot where the Lions can quickly remind everyone why optimism had been running so high a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Amon-Ra St. Brown's Bills Fallout Just Got More Complicated
The aftermath of the Lions Week 2 loss in Buffalo has extended well beyond the final whistle, with Amon-Ra St. Brown among the players hit by the NFL for postgame discipline tied to celebration-related penalties. St. Brown was fined $59,704 for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct infractions, adding another layer to a night that already left Detroit with plenty to sort through.
He was not alone in feeling the leagues reach, either. Five other Lions players also drew fines for a range of violations, including Jameson Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Penei Sewell, Tyler Lacy and Devin White, pushing Detroits total in Week 2 past $120,000. For a team still trying to settle in after a tough loss, the financial hit is a reminder that the fallout in Buffalo reached well beyond the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Three Underused Lions Could Decide More Than Fans Expect Vs Jets
Through two games of the 2026 season, the Lions have gotten only modest early returns from a few players who may still matter plenty as the year unfolds. Kerry Wonnum, Jalen McCreary and TeSlaa have all been around the action without making much of a dent yet, but that can change quickly in a league where roles expand fast and one strong Sunday can alter a rotation.
Week 3 against the Jets gives Detroit a chance to see whether that quiet start was just a slow opening or the beginning of something more limited. Each of those players is in position for more playing time and a bigger statistical footprint, and for a team trying to stack wins early, even the lesser-used pieces can end up shaping how far the depth chart reaches. [Read more 🡒]