The Detroit Lions will have Tyleik Williams on the field against the Arizona Cardinals after the first-round defensive tackle came in questionable with a foot injury.
Williams did not practice Wednesday, then was limited Thursday and Friday before being listed questionable on the final injury report. On Sunday, he was officially active and expected to start.
Detroit also got Tyler Conklin back after a two-week absence, while Jackson Meeks was the odd man out after handling a larger role during that stretch.
To make room on the active roster, the Lions had to send four players to the inactive list. That group includes defensive linemen Ahmed Hassanein and Mekhi Wingo, tight end Jackson Meeks and safety Bishop Fitzgerald.
The inactive list also includes cornerback Rock Ya-Sin and offensive lineman Ben Bartch. Both were already ruled out Friday, Ya-Sin because of a hamstring injury and Bartch because of a foot injury. Bartch is out for a third straight week.
There was good news on the roster front elsewhere, too. Brian Branch and Cade Mays both began their return-to-play windows this week after starting the year on Physically Unable to Perform and Injured Reserve, respectively. Neither had been added to the active roster entering Sunday, but both could be in line to return after Detroit’s bye week, when the Lions come back in Week 7 against Green Bay.
Jalen Mills was the only player elevated from the practice squad this week, which forced Detroit into those additional inactive decisions.
White is active after being marked as an inactive for the previous two weeks. He had played a starting role early in the season, but was demoted in favor of 2026 fourth-round pick Jimmy Rolder in recent weeks.
Signed in training camp after Rolder suffered an injury, White had a strong camp and impressed the coaches with his ability. However, after recording a total of nine tackles in the first two games, White appeared to fall out of the rotation.
Fitzgerald still has yet to make his Lions debut after the team signed him off the Pittsburgh Steelers' practice squad earlier in the season. He was signed after Avonte Maddox's season-ending injury in Week 2, but has yet to suit up for Detroit since arriving.
In Other News...
Lions Trade Deadline Pressure Is Growing Beyond One Obvious Need
With a 2-2 start and a critical matchup against the Arizona Cardinals looming, the Lions are already feeling the trade-deadline pressure build as Nov. 10 draws closer. Detroit has spent much of the early season trying to keep pace in a crowded NFC race, and the front office is weighing whether the roster needs more help before the deadline passes.
The conversation is not limited to one spot on the depth chart, either. Running back, safety and possibly quarterback have emerged as the areas under review, with the market beginning to take shape around names such as Kenny Gainwell, Tony Pollard, Brian Robinson Jr., Malik Mustapha, Caleb Downs and Jesse Bates, along with veteran quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett, Mason Rudolph and Mac Jones. Whether the Lions actually make a move will depend on how aggressive they want to be, but the scrutiny is only going to intensify as the deadline gets closer. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Draft Radar Is Already Focusing On Some Intriguing Early Fits
The early part of the draft cycle is already giving the Lions a few names to stash away for later, with a fresh watch list built around college players who could eventually match Detroits blend of size, versatility and upside. The group includes Lopa, Hubbard, Smith, Evans and Clarke, and the appeal is not just production but fit: each has shown enough on film or in the numbers to justify a closer look when their teams are back in action, especially for a front office that has shown it values finding the right type of player before the rest of the league catches up.
One added layer here is the Detroit connection to Drew Petzing, whose work with the Arizona Cardinals gives the Lions another point of reference on how certain prospects may translate. Several of the featured players still have games ahead that could sharpen the evaluation, so this is less about making declarations now and more about keeping tabs as the season moves along. For a team that has leaned into thorough scouting, these are the kinds of names that can quietly rise from interesting to unavoidable. [Read more 🡒]
Jahmyr Gibbs Faces One Lions Problem Hurting His OPOY Case
Jahmyr Gibbs has been one of the most dynamic pieces in Detroits offense, but the broader NFL conversation around the Offensive Player of the Year race has not exactly broken his way. Micah Parsons and Derrick Henry have both leaned toward Bijan Robinson in the award debate, and the numbers help explain why the discussion has tilted that direction. Robinson has piled up more rushing yards and has been more efficient on the ground, while Gibbs has made his case through the passing game with more receiving production and more touchdowns.
For the Lions, the bigger issue is how much their own setup has shaped Gibbs profile. Detroits offensive scheme and the performance up front have influenced the kind of runs he has been able to find, which matters in a race that tends to reward explosive highlight plays as much as overall versatility. The good news is that there is reason to think the ground game could open up a bit more when a key player returns, and that would give Gibbs a better chance to change the conversation before award season really settles in. [Read more 🡒]