Detroit Lions News

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) was a partial participant on the first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and head coach Dan Campbell said he could be cleared for the start of training camp in late July, according to Dave Birkett of The Detroit Free Press. "We like where he's going," Campbell said. "He's trending the right way." A herniated disc in his back limited the 25-year-old to just nine games in 2025, and he underwent surgery in November. LaPorta didn't take part in full-speed team drills in earlier offseason workouts this spring, but he's getting close to being a full-go for training camp this summer. The former second-round pick (34th overall) in 2023 out of the University of Iowa burst onto the scene in his rookie campaign and led all tight ends with 86 catches on 120 targets for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games. He took a slight step back in Year 2 with a 60-726-7 line in 16 starts before catching just 40 passes for 489 yards and three scores last year. The offensive situation in Detroit hasn't changed much since LaPorta's strong rookie season, and with his price coming down after his injury in 2025, LaPorta is a potential TE1 value play in fantasy drafts as an obvious bounce-back candidate if he stays healthy. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 9 fantasy TE for 2026.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was very complimentary of second-year wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa and where he's heading going into Year 2 in 2026, according to Tim Twentyman of the team's official website. The head coach said that TeSlaa has looked "like a consistent veteran this offseason" and is excited about where he's headed. The 24-year-old was selected with the 70th overall pick (third round) last year out of the University of Arkansas. In his first NFL season, TeSlaa had 16 catches for 239 yards and six touchdowns on 27 targets over 17 games played (three starts). Detroit added veteran wideouts Cedrick Wilson Jr. and Greg Dortch in free agency this offseason, but TeSlaa should have an elevated role for the Lions in Year 2 as the WR3 behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. The 6-foot-4, 214-pounder isn't an athletic freak by any means, but he proved to have a nose for the end zone in 2025. Volume could be an issue again, making TeSlaa a late-round target in fantasy football drafts this fall with upside if the Lions give him more responsibilities outside the red zone.

Dating back to 2022, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has now recorded four consecutive seasons with at least 4,400 passing yards and 29 touchdowns. Even through a rocky season overall in Detroit in 2025, Goff completed 68% of his pass attempts for 4,564 yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Goff's fantasy upside is limited by his complete lack of rushing ability, as he hasn't reached 100 rushing yards in a season since 2018. The Lions' offensive line has also deteriorated in quality in recent years, with tackle Penei Sewell the only truly plus starter remaining in the group. Still, Goff has an excellent group of pass-catchers around him in wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, tight end Sam LaPorta, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs. As Goff enters his age-32 season, he projects as a high-floor, low-ceiling dynasty QB2 who may still be slightly undervalued in some leagues.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams put together the most productive season of his career in 2025, recording 65 receptions for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns on 102 targets across 17 games. However, the season was a tale of two halves for Williams, who had just 17 catches for 289 yards and two scores on 30 targets through Detroit's Week 8 bye. The 25-year-old's second-half production surge coincided with the absence of Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back), who suffered a season-ending back injury in Week 10. With LaPorta expected to be back in the mix for Detroit in 2026, Williams may once again struggle to provide consistent fantasy production. When all three of LaPorta, wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs have been available, Detroit has typically opted to utilize Williams in a low-volume downfield role. In dynasty formats, managers may want to explore selling Williams at what could be a peak in his value.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had a relatively quiet rookie season, propped up by an unreal 23% of his targets resulting in touchdowns. While he did turn himself into a steady contributor by year's end, making at least two catches in four of his final six games, that stretch only occurred after tight end Sam LaPorta was placed on injured reserve with a herniated disc in his back. With LaPorta healthy and participating in organized team activities, there's a chance TeSlaa is pushed outside the margins of fantasy relevance in a new-look Lions offense. Only two current playcallers ran a higher percentage of plays out of multi-tight end sets than new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing did with the Cardinals last year, which could spell trouble for a receiver who already failed to reach a 60% snap share in 13 of 17 games as a rookie. An older prospect coming into the league, TeSlaa is now 24 and RotoBaller's dynasty WR87, but unless he can find a way to sustain his seemingly unsustainable touchdown rate from 2025, even that could prove to be too high a ranking.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) looked good and was moving around well at OTA practice on Thursday after he sat out of the first open practice last week, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com. It's a good sign for LaPorta, who is coming off back surgery to fix a herniated disc that forced him to miss the final eight games of the 2025 season. The 25-year-old former second-rounder in 2023 out of the University of Iowa was the No. 1 fantasy TE in his rookie year, catching 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns on 120 targets in 17 regular-season games. LaPorta took a slight step back in 2024 with a 60-726-7 line in 16 starts, before catching just 40 passes for 489 yards and three scores a year ago in nine starts. It won't cost nearly as much to secure LaPorta's services in fantasy as a low-end TE1 after his injury in 2025, and with the situation not much different in Detroit than in his first two years, there is clear bounce-back potential in his fourth year in the NFL if he can stay healthy. LaPorta is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 9 TE for the 2026 campaign.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that rookie fifth-round wide receiver Kendrick Law (knee) tore his ACL during practice on Tuesday, according to Tim Twentyman of the team's official website. It's a rough way for the 22-year-old to begin his career in the NFL after he was selected with the 168th overall pick in the NFL draft back in April. The former University of Kentucky pass-catcher wasn't going to be on the fantasy football radar in single-year leagues while providing depth in the WR room behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, James Williams, and second-year wideout Isaac TeSlaa. Law will almost certainly be placed on Injured Reserve and miss his entire rookie season. Behind St. Brown, Williams, and TeSlaa, Detroit will have Greg Dortch, Cedrick Wilson, Tom Kennedy, and Dominic Lovett competing for the WR4 role. In 12 games in his final collegiate season in 2025 at Kentucky, Law had a career-best 53 receptions for 540 yards and three touchdowns for the Wildcats. There is long-term yards-after-the-catch potential with Law, but his development will be put on hold for another year.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that the expectation is that running back Jahmyr Gibbs will be the team's "bellcow" in 2026, according to Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News. "We're gonna hang our hat on him," Campbell said. It's not unexpected, especially after the team traded David Montgomery to the Houston Texans early in the offseason. The 24-year-old Gibbs, who was the 12th overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft out of the University of Alabama, has been one of the best all-around RBs since he set foot in the NFL, being named a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons. The Georgia native has a whopping 3,580 rushing yards and 39 rushing touchdowns, to go along with 181 catches (228 targets) for 1,449 receiving yards and 10 receiving TDs in 49 regular-season games for Detroit. Gibbs hasn't dipped under 5.0 yards per carry in any of his three seasons, and is an elite three-down fantasy RB. With even more usage coming in 2026, fantasy managers sitting in the No. 2 draft spot this year will be ecstatic if he doesn't come off the board at No. 1 overall.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has caught at least 115 passes and double-digit touchdowns in each of the past three seasons, never falling below 1,250 receiving yards and finishing as the fantasy WR3 in all three seasons. In 2026, it's possible his ceiling could be even higher under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. The buzz out of Detroit through OTAs has been around Petzing's ability to bring balance to an offense that became too reliant on explosive plays in 2025. With St. Brown healthy after sitting out this time last year following an offseason knee surgery, he's been one of several Lions players to express excitement about the new direction of the offense. As the coordinator for the Cardinals in 2025, Petzing helped to transform third-year receiver Michael Wilson into a fantasy league-winner in an offense that also saw Trey McBride set the single-season tight end reception record. While former Pro Bowler Sam LaPorta is expected back in the fold after missing eight games in 2025 with a herniated disc in his back, he is no threat to earn a McBride-level of volume, and St. Brown should be the biggest benefactor of an offense designed to exploit the weaknesses of opposing teams. At RotoBaller's dynasty WR6, the 26-year-old St. Brown continues to be undervalued, but he should remain one of the most reliable fantasy contributors in one of the league's most high-powered offenses for the foreseeable future.

Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco finds himself in a new place for the 2026 season, and it could be exactly what he needs to get back on track as a fantasy-relevant running back in dynasty leagues. Pacheco spent his first four seasons with the Chiefs, finishing higher than RB37 just once. He was the RB15 in 2023, but injuries cost him 14 games over the last two years, and he wasn't particularly effective when healthy, either. The Chiefs used him as more of a primary running back, getting him involved on rushing and passing downs, while the Lions may use him as more of a short-yardage option to move the chains or get into the end zone. That could mean fewer touches and yards per carry, but more touchdowns and more of a clear-cut role. The new landing spot could vault Pacheco back into the top 36 fantasy running backs, making him a low-end RB3/flex on a weekly basis. As it stands, he is the RB55 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty rankings.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff may be 31 years old, but he continues to offer a stable quarterback option for managers in dynasty fantasy football leagues. Goff has been a top-10 fantasy quarterback in each of his last four seasons, benefitting from a strong supporting cast that features Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta (back), and Jahmyr Gibbs. He had one of the best seasons of his career last year, amassing 4,564 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions. One of the biggest factors for Goff going forward is the protection in front of him. The veteran took a career-high 38 sacks last year, and he's not mobile enough to evade defenders. Fortunately, the Lions solidified their offensive line with Cade Mays and Blake Miller, both projected to take on starting roles. With improved protection, a terrific arm, and a productive supporting cast, Goff should remain in the low-end QB1 or high-end QB2 conversation in dynasty leagues for several years to come.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023 and immediately became a high-end TE1 in fantasy, catching 86 of 120 targets for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games to finish as the overall TE1 in half-PPR scoring. Unfortunately, the 25-year-old former second-rounder (34th overall) out of Iowa took a step back in 2024 (60-726-7 line as the TE7 overall), and he played in a career-low nine games in 2025 due to a disc injury in his back that required surgery. Despite the lost year last season, LaPorta had a career-high 54.3 yards per game and 12.2 yards per catch before being shut down for the year. He also had an 81.6% catch rate on 49 targets in nine games. It's obvious that LaPorta's dynasty stock is down coming off back surgery, and although he's in Detroit's high-powered offense, there are still plenty of mouths to feed. LaPorta is expected to be healthy for training camp and the start of the 2026 regular season. With 20 touchdowns in three seasons in a high-scoring offense, savvy fantasy managers should look to buy low on LaPorta now that his value is at an all-time low. At RotoBaller, he's still ranked as the TE6 in dynasty formats.

Linebacker Jack Campbell and the Detroit Lions have agreed to a four-year, $81 million extension that makes him one of the highest-paid off-ball linebackers in the league and will keep the young All-Pro with the team through the 2030 season. A first-round pick in 2023, Campbell did not earn an every-down role until partway through his second season, but by year three, he'd become a mainstay at the center of Detroit's swarming defense. His 176 tackles, five sacks, and three forced fumbles in 2025 earned him his first Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections while making him one of the most valuable IDP assets in the game. At 25 years old, Campbell is RotoBaller's LB1, and this long-term security should be enough to keep him at or near that spot for the foreseeable future.

The boom-or-bust nature of Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams has made him one of the more polarizing dynasty evaluations. Seven times in 2025, he finished a week with fewer than 5.5 half-PPR points, twice being held without a single catch. It could be argued that those lows, along with the injury and suspension that clouded the early stages of his career, are carrying too much weight in his dynasty ranking. At only 25 years old, Williams is RotoBaller's dynasty WR29, despite finishing as the overall WR10 in 2025 and the WR5 over the final 11 weeks. Outside of a handful of truly elite players, all wide receivers are inconsistent from a fantasy perspective, and while that's certainly more clear in Williams' case, few receivers in the league are capable of matching his regular week-winning performances. On paper, the Lions head into 2026 with one of the most fantasy-friendly schedules in the league, and under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, Detroit can expect to see more heavy personnel packages, which should further funnel targets through Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown. If Williams can cut down on the costly drops, he has the potential for a second straight WR1 finish, and this time, managers should expect his dynasty value to follow.

A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had one of the stranger rookie seasons of any pass-catcher in recent memory. While TeSlaa only recorded 16 catches on 27 targets across 17 games, he made the most of his opportunities by racking up 239 receiving yards and six touchdowns. The 24-year-old flashed high-end upside as a contested-catch expert on downfield throws and in the red zone, but he also failed to prove he can consistently separate from defenders in the short and intermediate areas of the field. TeSlaa's target upside in Detroit is limited as long as wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are healthy. Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) is also expected to return from the back injury that caused him to miss the final eight games of 2025, which hurts TeSlaa's outlook as well. TeSlaa's upside makes him worth stashing in deeper dynasty leagues, but his path to a fantasy-relevant role in Detroit remains unclear as he enters his second NFL season.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has finished as the RB2 and RB4 over the past two seasons, all while running mate David Montgomery continued to average more than 200 opportunities per year. With Montgomery traded to the Texans this offseason and replaced in free agency by downtrending former Chief Isiah Pacheco, expectations are sky high for Gibbs heading into his fourth season. Only Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, and De'Von Achane have finished as top six fantasy running backs in each of the past two seasons, and with all three entering their age 24 seasons, team environment becomes one of the most weighted factors in determining the dynasty RB1. Both the Falcons and Dolphins are bringing in new coaching staffs for 2026, while the Lions approach year six under Dan Campbell, coming off four consecutive seasons with a top-five offensive finish. Gibbs should continue to see the most positive game scripts and scoring opportunities. In slotting him in at dynasty RB2, RotoBaller gives the slight edge to Robinson for his unique ability to gain hidden yardage in ways that few players in league history have been capable, but Gibbs is, and will continue to be, one of the most exciting young assets to build around, and is worthy of an early first-round selection, even in superflex startups.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has finished three straight seasons as the WR3 in half-PPR formats, and even in an offseason where the team brought in no notable target competition, he remains perpetually undervalued in dynasty rankings, currently sitting at RotoBaller's WR6. Detroit's biggest ticket pass-catching additions this offseason were Greg Dortch, tight end Tyler Conklin, and fifth-round pick Kendrick Law. The Lions come into 2026 with their third offensive coordinator in as many years, but with Jared Goff's 18,206 passing yards since 2022 leading the league by a substantial margin, Detroit's offense has become practically automatic under Dan Campbell. Drew Petzing now takes over coordinator duties fresh off a season with the Cardinals in which journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett's 3,366 passing yards upon seizing the starting job in Week 6 trailed only Goff. As long as the nucleus remains in place, the Lions' offense should continue to roll, and outside of injury, few foreseeable scenarios would land the 26-year-old St. Brown far from another league-winning fantasy finish.

Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco enters 2026 looking to revitalize his career after consecutive disastrous seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024 and 2025. A fractured fibula limited Pacheco to seven games in 2024, and he recorded just 563 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns across 13 games in 2025. The Lions signed Pacheco to a modest one-year, $1.8 million contract in free agency, and he figures to serve as the RB2 behind Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit. While Gibbs' presence obviously limits Pacheco's fantasy upside, former Lions back David Montgomery collected 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while playing behind Gibbs in 2025. Should Pacheco see similar usage to Montgomery, he could be a matchup-dependent flex option while carrying latent handcuff upside. His dynasty stock has obviously taken a hit over the past couple of seasons, but Pacheco may still be a decent buy-low target for dynasty managers.

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff put together another solid statistical season in 2025, completing 68% of his pass attempts for 4,564 yards, 34 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Goff's complete lack of rushing ability limits his fantasy upside. However, the 31-year-old has now posted three consecutive seasons with at least 4,500 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, giving him a stable production floor. Heading into 2026, Goff still has a strong supporting cast of pass-catchers around him, led by wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs is also a weapon in the passing game, and tight end Sam LaPorta (back) should be part of the equation as well after missing the final eight games of 2025 with a back injury. The Lions have some questions on the offensive line, but the team added veteran center Cade Mays in free agency and used a first-round pick in the 2026 Draft on Clemson tackle Blake Miller. As long as Detroit can keep Goff upright, he profiles as a steady dynasty QB2 with matchup-dependent streaming upside.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back) is working on returning from an injury that sidelined him for the final eight games of the 2025 season. Because of the injury, he finished as the TE27 in PPR leagues, catching a modest 40 passes for 489 yards and just three touchdowns. LaPorta wasn't a major touchdown threat last year, but he was on pace to set a new career-high in receiving yards before the injury. Together, he and Amon-Ra St. Brown stepped up as highly dependable targets for quarterback Jared Goff. While this is a crowded offense, the Lions have shown that they can make it work. Goff is capable of supporting big years from all of LaPorta, St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs. As a result, as long as he's healthy in 2026, we expect a big bounce-back year from LaPorta. He's the TE6 in RotoBaller's latest dynasty fantasy football rankings, and dynasty managers can get him at a discount because he's coming off an injury.