The Lions head into Sunday with a chance to make a real splash against the unbeaten Vikings, and the updated Week 8 depth chart shows Detroit trying to line up as close to full strength as possible.
That starts with Jared Goff, who has been in rare form. He hasn’t thrown an interception in six games, one of the best openings of his career, and another clean outing against one of the league’s top defenses would only strengthen his case in the MVP race.
Detroit’s backfield is in good shape, too. Jahmyr Gibbs is listed as the starter with Sione Vaki behind him and Jacob Saylors as the reserve, while Isiah Pacheco remains on injured reserve.
Gibbs showed up on the injury report with a shoulder issue after not practicing Wednesday, but he was a full participant over the next two days and carries no designation. That’s a strong sign after the awkward fall he took late in last week’s game, and the Lions will want him ready for a tough matchup.
At receiver, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa are the starters, with Tay Martin and DeAndre Carter backing them up.
Tom Kennedy and Kendrick Law are on injured reserve. St.
Brown also opened the week as a non-participant because of an ankle injury, but Dan Campbell said early in the week he didn’t expect the reliable wideout to miss the game, and he has no designation. Williams has found his rhythm lately and figures to be a major piece of the plan, while TeSlaa continues to chip in as a short-yardage and red-zone option.
Sam LaPorta is the starter at tight end, with Brock Wright behind him and Tyler Conklin and Jackson Meeks as reserves. LaPorta had only one catch last week, though it came on the team’s final drive and mattered. Wright remains the second tight end, especially in run-heavy looks, and Conklin has been the third option over Meeks in each of the last two weeks.
Up front, Penei Sewell and Blake Miller are the tackles, with Larry Borom as the backup and Gio Manu on the non-football injury list. Sewell and Miller have settled in well together, and Sewell’s versatility showed up near the goal line last week when Detroit used him as an extra tight end in a jumbo package. Borom came in at tackle on that snap, and Sewell slid out, helping create the look that led to Jameson Williams’ second touchdown against Green Bay.
The interior line features Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge as starters, with Juice Scruggs backing them up and Miles Frazier as a reserve. Ben Bartch is on injured reserve.
Scruggs didn’t see the field in place of Mahogany or Ratledge last week, since both played every snap. If one of them goes down, he would likely be the first option off the bench.
At center, Cade Mays is the starter, with Scruggs as the backup and Seth McLaughlin as the reserve. Mays had a rocky first game as a Lion last week and was partly responsible for both turnovers. Scruggs started the first five games, and McLaughlin was a healthy scratch last week.
Detroit’s defensive front continues to rotate, with Alim McNeill and Tyleik Williams starting inside and Skyler Gill-Howard and Levi Onwuzurike behind them. Mekhi Wingo is the reserve.
Williams handles run situations, while Gill-Howard gets the heavier share of pass-rush snaps because of his athleticism and his ability to get after the quarterback. Wingo still hasn’t been active this season, and after appearing in just two games last year, the 2024 sixth-round pick may only get a chance if injury opens the door.
On the edge, Aidan Hutchinson and D.J. Wonnum are the starters, with Tyler Lacy and Derrick Moore as backups and Eric O’Neill and Ahmed Hassanein as reserves.
Payton Turner is on injured reserve. Hutchinson has now caught Wonnum for the team lead in sacks with five, and Detroit’s defense has had success against Kyler Murray in the past.
If the Lions can keep him contained again Sunday, it would go a long way in the divisional race.
Linebacker brings Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes and Trevor Nowaske onto the field as starters, with Malcolm Rodriguez, Amen Ogbongbemiga and Jimmy Rolder behind them. Damone Clark and Devin White are on injured reserve.
Last week, Detroit leaned more on nickel looks and spent more time in two-linebacker packages with Campbell and Barnes. Nowaske ended up with the third-most snaps at 14, while Rodriguez, Ogbongbemiga and Rolder each logged 12.
That expanded role is notable because Nowaske adds athleticism as a sub linebacker.
In the secondary, D.J. Reed and Roger McCreary are listed as the starting corners, with Ennis Rakestraw and Khalil Dorsey behind them and Rock Ya-Sin as a reserve.
McCreary is questionable with a foot injury, and he’s the only player besides Kerby Joseph on the injury report. Detroit hasn’t elevated anyone from the practice squad, which suggests McCreary may be on track to play.
The Lions used all of their corners for at least 14 snaps against Green Bay, and that rotation is expected to carry over against Minnesota.
At safety, Brian Branch and Chuck Clark are the starters, with Keith Abney as the nickel backup and Christian Izien also in the mix. Bishop Fitzgerald is the reserve.
Joseph remains on the physically unable to perform list, while Avonte Maddox and Thomas Harper are on injured reserve. Joseph returned to practice this week, but he has been ruled out and may use most of his 21-day window before Detroit decides whether to activate him.
Fitzgerald, who came over from Pittsburgh’s practice squad, still hasn’t seen the field and may either be a future piece or a corresponding move when Joseph is activated.
Special teams stays steady with Jake Bates at kicker, Jack Fox at punter and Hogan Hatten at long snapper. Jacob Saylors and DeAndre Carter are the kick returners, and Carter is also the punt returner.
Detroit liked what it saw from Carter in his first game with the team. He flashed some burst, nearly broke a punt return and averaged 26 yards per kick return, giving the Lions a possible boost in the return game.
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Lions Face A Huge NFC North Test In One Critical Area
The Week 8 meeting with Minnesota arrives as one of those division games that can tilt the tone of an entire stretch run, and for Detroit the focus is on how well the offense handles a defense built to make life uncomfortable. Sam LaPorta and Jared Goff are central to that conversation, with the Lions needing their passing game to stay on schedule against a Vikings unit that has made a habit of turning routine snaps into stressful ones.
Sione Vakis role also looms larger than usual, since the Lions will need dependable support around Goff if they want to keep the offense in rhythm. On the other side of the ball, Aidan Hutchinson remains one of the key figures in a matchup that could come down to which front can impose its will first, with the NFC North race adding extra weight to every possession. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Trade Deadline Pressure Is Now Squarely On Brad Holmes
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Brad Holmes is now the one under the microscope because the roster is good enough to make a real push, but not so complete that every hole can be ignored. The case for restraint leans on the idea that key pieces in the back end are on the way back and that young help is still developing, yet the counterargument is simple enough: if Detroit wants its ceiling to rise, this is the spot where an aggressive move would matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Keep Getting Linked To Maxx Crosby For One Big Reason
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For the Lions, the timing only adds to the speculation. Their roster is mostly healthy, they have not had to elevate anyone from the practice squad lately, and there is no immediate injury scramble forcing their hand. That kind of stability tends to make outside observers wonder whether Detroit might be preparing for a bigger move down the road, even if nothing is imminent right now. [Read more 🡒]