The Detroit Lions are entering Week 1 with a familiar label back on their side: NFC North favorite.
That’s a sharp turn from a season ago, when Detroit finished 9-8, missed the playoffs, and spent too much time coming up short inside the division. From 2022 to 2024, the Lions built their edge the hard way, piling up a 15-3 record against NFC North opponents on the way to a pair of division titles and a pair of playoff births. Last year, that grip slipped badly as Detroit went 2-4 in the division and watched the postseason from home despite a winning record.
Now the projection is swinging back in Detroit’s direction. A favorable schedule and roster upgrades have the Lions positioned for a rebound, and that view shows up in early power rankings ahead of the 2026 season.
Pro Football Focus analyst Bradley Locker slotted Detroit at No. 10 overall, ahead of the Green Bay Packers at No. 13, the Chicago Bears at No. 15 and the Minnesota Vikings at No. 17. PFF also gives the Lions a 67% chance to reach the postseason.
Locker pointed to the offense and the schedule as the biggest reasons for optimism.
"The Lions were one of the more disappointing teams last season, missing the playoffs outright after being besieged by defensive injury. Detroit will still feel the effects of the injury bug early in the season - missing players like Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph and Cade Mays - but the team returns a high-flight offense under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Detroit owning the third-easiest schedule per PFF’s model is another reason to buy into the Lions looking more like the force we’ve seen in recent seasons."
The Super Bowl picture is a little less flattering. PFF gives Detroit just a 5% chance to win it all, with the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles carrying better odds at this stage.
Even so, the NFC North looks there for the taking. Chicago and Green Bay were the division’s top teams last season, but neither was clearly out of Detroit’s reach. The Lions swept the Bears, while the Packers split the year by beating Detroit in Week 1 and again on Thanksgiving before fading down the stretch.
Minnesota was the trickiest matchup of all. The Vikings gave Detroit the most trouble, and both teams finished with the same record. With Minnesota looking like a team in-flux, the Lions will have to show they can handle that matchup again.
For now, though, the early read is clear: Detroit enters the season looking like the team to beat in the NFC North.
In Other News...
Lions Get A Brutal O-Line Warning Before Jared Goff's Season Begins
PFFs latest 2026 offensive line rankings offered a sobering reminder that even a roster built to win up front can feel fragile once injuries enter the picture. The Lions came in at No. 19, a mark that lands well below the expectation around a group that has usually been one of the team's biggest strengths and, in this case, slipped largely because of the injury to starting center Cade Mays.
The drop from 13th to just inside the top 20 is the kind of warning sign Detroit cannot ignore with Jared Goffs season approaching. Analyst Gordon McGuinness pointed to the lines current composition as the concern, and for a team that has leaned on protection and continuity to keep its offense on schedule, the question now is whether the group can hold up long enough to avoid becoming a problem before the games even start. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookie Debate Is Already Centered On One Crucial Position Battle
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Moore and Miller also represent the kind of choice that can tell you a lot about how a team views its future. One path points to an edge of the defense where disruption can show up quickly, while the other comes through a position battle where reliability and early trust often matter just as much as upside. For now, the discussion is still speculative, but the Lions already have a rookie race worth tracking closely because the answer may say something important about where the roster is headed next. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have A Week 1 Depth Concern Fans Should Watch
The Lions got through Thursdays practice with a fairly routine injury report as they turn their attention to the Saints, but there was still a little uncertainty attached to the week. Several players were full participants, while Derrick Moore, Mekhi Wingo and Christian Izien were limited as the team continued sorting through a few lingering health issues ahead of game planning.
Dan Campbell offered a cautious read on where things stand, and the overall tone sounded more hopeful than alarmed. Even so, any limited practice reps this late in the week are worth watching for a Detroit roster trying to get everyone lined up before Week 1, especially with a matchup against New Orleans approaching fast. [Read more 🡒]