2026 Team Outlook: Detroit Lions

2. RB Jahmyr Gibbs, DET - Stud (low risk)

Gibbs hit the ground running as a rookie, producing 1,261 combined yards, 11 touchdowns, and 52 catches on 234 touches across 15 games, roughly 15.6 touches per week. His fantasy value took a hit early when he managed just 39 carries for 179 yards and 14 catches for 70 yards over his first four games (9.73 fantasy points per game), then missed two weeks with a hamstring injury. But when David Montgomery went down, Gibbs seized the moment with back-to-back explosive outings (37 carries for 220 yards, two touchdowns, and 14 Detroit Lions

catches for 95 yards across those two games), totaling 57.50 fantasy points in PPR formats. He carried that momentum through the rest of the year, scoring 12 times and generating 935 combined yards with 35 catches over his final 12 appearances, including the postseason. Gibbs topped 20.00 fantasy points five times in that stretch and finished as the tenth-ranked running back in PPR scoring with 243.70 points. The one blemish was a modest 6.1 yards per catch, and he never broke a run of 40-plus yards, both areas with room to grow. Gibbs picked up in 2024 right where he left off, averaging 16.64 fantasy points per game through his first five weeks (66/348/3 with 14 catches for 104 yards and one score). He followed up with back-to-back 100- yard rushing games (15/116/2 and 11/127/1) and remained productive through most of the next seven contests, adding 131.70 fantasy points over that stretch. When Montgomery exited Week 15 after just four plays with a knee injury, Gibbs inherited a full-featured role down the stretch. He made the most of it, averaging 24.3 touches per game over the final four weeks and topping 100 rushing yards in each outing (23/109/1, 18/117/1, 23/139/3, and 14/105/2) while remaining a consistent receiving option (4/45, 4/46, 5/31/1, and 6/70). Gibbs found his explosive gear last season, highlighted by seven of his plays gaining 40 yards or more, across his career-high 320 touches. Despite his progression, he finished with a step back in yards per rush (5.0 – 5.6 in 2024) and yards per catch (8.0 – 9.9 in 2024). Gibbs dominated Tampa in Week 7 (17/136/2 with three catches for 82 yards), followed by elite success in PPR fantasy points in Week 10 (38.20), Week 12 (55.40), and Week 14 (37.00). He finished third in PPR running back scoring (367.90), with 167.40 fantasy points (45.5%)

coming in four matchups. He scored under 10.00 fantasy points in four other matchups. Fantasy Outlook: Gibbs draws the number one seed for all positions in the National Fantasy Football Championship drafts in June. He looks to be on the doorstep of an all-time great running back season if the Lions’ top back can stay upright for 17 games. Detroit has a step back in running back talent behind Gibbs on its depth chart, suggesting a chance at 350 touches in 2026. Trending toward 2,200 combined yards with a run at 25 scores and 80 catches.

3. PK Jake Bates, DET - Solid/Safe Pick

In his two seasons with the Lions, Bates finished seventh (170.10) and eighth (163.20) in kicker fantasy points. He made 53 of his 63 field goals (84.1%), while making 10 of 17 kicks from 50 yards or more. Detroit created 123 extra point tries, leading to Bates putting 118 of them through the uprights. Fantasy Outlook: Bates has a big leg, and the Lions are a top-scoring team in the NFL. They scored 57 touchdowns in 2025, with 34 field goal chances. Surprisingly, he is the 12th-ranked kicker in early drafts. The Lions ranked 14th in rushing yards allowed (1,947), allowing 4.4 yards per carry and giving up 16 scores on the ground. Opposing teams

averaged 26.2 carries per game, compared to 21.7 in 2024. They allowed 10 runs of 20 yards or more. Detroit improved to 24th in passing yards (4,027). They gave up the sixth-lowest completion rate (61.6%), but quarterbacks beat them for 31 touchdowns with 13 interceptions and 49 sacks. The Lions faced 55 fewer passes than in 2024 (610).

4. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, DET - Stud (low risk)

St. Brown picked up in 2022 right where he left off in his rookie season (90/973/6), opening the season with winning targets (12, 12, and 9), leading to 23 catches for 253 yards and three scores. An ankle injury wiped out Week 4 and dulled his production over the following three contests (1/4, 7/69, and 4/55), but he was dominant the rest of the way, catching 67 of 87 targets for 762 yards and three touchdowns over his final nine games. St. Brown had a floor of six catches in eight of those nine outings and delivered three standout performances (10/119, 9/122/1, and 11/114/2). He closed the season with career highs across the board (106 catches, 1,161 yards, six touchdowns, and 146 targets). Detroit also used him sparingly as a runner (9/95). The goal for St. Brown entering 2023 was to stretch the field more consistently, and he delivered — his receptions of 20 or more yards doubled from 11 to 24, pushing his yards per catch to a career-best 12.7. St. Brown broke every personal record he had set the year before, finishing with 119 catches, 1,515 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 163 targets. He topped 100 receiving yards in nine games and scored fewer than 15.00 fantasy points just twice all season, while missing only one game with an abdominal injury in Week 5. Detroit rewarded him with a four-year, $120 million extension after the season. In 2024, the Lions shifted his alignment closer to the line of scrimmage, which brought his yards per catch back down to 11.0 and produced 14 receptions of 20 yards or fewer. What didn't change was his volume and

scoring — St. Brown set a new career high with 12 touchdown catches while posting 115 receptions for 1,263 yards. He topped 100 yards in five games (11/119, 8/112/1, 11/161/2, 14/193/1, and 8/137) and put up 20-plus fantasy points eight times, with two monster outings (11/157/2 and 14/193/1). His consistency was a defining trait, and St. Brown found the end zone in eight straight games from Week 3 through Week 11, scoring nine TDs over that span. St. Brown delivered another high-floor season in catches (117), receiving yards (1,401), and touchdowns (11) last year while setting a new top in targets (172). He gained 12.0 yards per catch with 19 catches reaching the 20-yard mark. His best fantasy value came in Week 2 (9/122/3) and Week 15 (13/164/2), scoring over 20.00 PPR fantasy points in five other matchups (20.70, 26.00, 20.60, 29.90, and 24.90). St. Brown had double-digit targets in nine matchups. He was a losing start in three contests (4/45, 2/42, and 4/54). Fantasy Outlook: Last draft season, St. Brown was passed over by multiple wideouts, which ended up being a mistake. He finished third in PPR wide receiver scoring (324.00), with only four running backs outscoring him. This draft season, St. Brown is the sixth player selected in the first round of the National Fantasy Football Championship. Over his past 66 games, he averaged 6.9 catches for 83 yards and 0.59 touchdowns on 9.4 targets, resulting in 18.74 FPPG. More of the same, painting another 115/1,300/10 picture.

6. TE Sam LaPorta, DET - Solid/Safe Pick

UPDATE: Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is currently sidelined indefinitely with an aggravated hip injury sustained during an August 2026 practice. Head coach Dan Campbell expressed optimism for the long-term outlook, but LaPorta's status remains uncertain for the September 13 regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints

Coming out of Iowa, LaPorta was an active receiving option over his final two college seasons, but he rarely found the end zone. His blocking needed work, but his route running was already at a high baseline. He showed a natural feel for getting open and competed hard after the catch. Across four college seasons, LaPorta caught 153 passes for 1,786 yards and five touchdowns, with his two most productive years producing 53 catches for 670 yards and three scores, then 58 catches for 657 yards and one touchdown. He topped 100 yards twice over his final 13 games (7/122 and 9/101) and showed impressive catch volume in 2022, recording five or more receptions in seven of his twelve starts. Detroit handed LaPorta a significant role from day one as a rookie, and he delivered. Over 20 games, including the playoffs, he caught 107 of 147 targets for 1,065 yards and 11 touchdowns, with 10 of those scores coming at home. His yards per catch were higher on the road (11.0 versus 8.9 in Detroit). His three best games came in Week 3 (8/84/1), Week 13 (9/140/1), and Week 15 (5/36/3), and LaPorta finished as the top-scoring tight end in PPR formats with 239.30 points, despite seeing six or fewer targets in nine of sixteen regular-season games. LaPorta got off to a slow start over the Lions' first six games in 2024 (14 catches for 224 yards and one touchdown on just 17 targets), with his availability further limited by ankle and shoulder issues in Weeks 3 and 6. Detroit more than doubled his target share over the following seven weeks (34 targets across six games), and he responded with 22 catches for 221 yards and four touchdowns. LaPorta rounded out the year with an uptick in play, catching 30 passes for 332 yards and three scores over his final five outings while averaging 16.23 fantasy points per game in PPR formats. Last season, LaPorta brought the value price tag to the fantasy draft table, and he was on pace for 76 catches for 924 yards and six touchdowns. Unfortunately, a back injured ended his season after Week

9. His best PPR fantasy value came in four games (6/79, 5/92/1, 5/55/1, and 6/97/1). LaPorta caught 81.6% of his 49 targets but averaged only 5.4 looks per game. The Lions gave him more than six targets in two matchups (9 and 8). Fantasy Outlook: LaPorta ranks eighth at tight end in the early draft season in the National Fantasy Football Championship (ADP – 98). Again, his potential paints a higher ceiling, but it requires a healthy season. His floor should be 70 catches for 850 yards and about seven scores, which paints a top 5 tight end season. Update 6/17/2026: LaPorta is making progress in his recovery from his herniated disc surgery last November, but he still isn't a full go in mid- June. The Lions are hoping LaPorta will be on the field for full practices in training camp.

10. QB Jared Goff, DET - Solid/Safe Pick

Goff's best football with the Rams came between 2017 and 2020, when he went 42-20 and led the franchise to a Super Bowl appearance in 2018. He also led the entire league in pass attempts in 2019 with 626. His first season in Detroit was a rough one (a 3-10-1 record), with three missed games due to oblique and knee injuries, and his yards per attempt (6.6) marked his third straight year of decline in that category. There were some encouraging signs, namely a 67.2% completion rate and a pace that suggested 4,000 combined yards and 23 touchdowns over a full season, but the production was inconsistent. He topped 300 passing yards just once all year (338 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1) and failed to reach 225 yards in eight of his final twelve starts. Goff finished with a rebound in 2022 (4,511 combined yards, 29 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions), coming close to preseason expectations. His completion rate dipped slightly to 65.1%, but his big- play output jumped, highlighted by 57 completions of 20-plus yards and 12 going for 40 or more. He averaged 34.5 attempts per game, operating efficiently as a modified game manager. He was particularly sharp down the stretch, throwing 15 touchdowns without an interception over his final nine starts, and topped 300 passing yards five times. The home/road split was glaring. Goff threw for 2,472 yards and 23 touchdowns in Detroit compared to 1,966 yards and six scores on the road. 2023 brought new personal records for Goff, setting career highs in completions (407) and completion rate (67.3%). He hit 30 touchdown passes for the first time since 2018, finishing with 36 on the season, including the playoffs, and his yards per attempt held steady at 7.6. His three best fantasy performances in touchdowns all came at home (323/3, 236/3, and 278/5), as did 24 of his 36 passing scores. He also

topped 300 passing yards four more times and finished sixth among quarterbacks in fantasy scoring at 351.55 points in four-point passing touchdown formats. Detroit played a number of games early in 2024 that didn't require Goff to throw much. He averaged just 27 attempts over the first 10 weeks. Even so, the Lions’ passer had four strong outings in that stretch (290/2, 320/5, 276/2, and 433/4). The Lions opened things up considerably over the final eight games, during which Goff averaged 38.6 attempts and put up 309 yards and three touchdowns per game. He closed the year with career bests in touchdown passes (37) and completion rate (72.4%), finishing sixth at quarterback in fantasy scoring with 383.95 points. His home dominance remained a defining trait, with three monster fantasy performances of 30.30, 38.70, and 46.00 points. He also showed a reliable scoring floor, reaching at least two touchdown passes in 13 of his 18 appearances. Last year, Goff continued to produce top-10 quarterback stats (356.40 fantasy points – 8th). He had his second-best year in passing touchdowns (34) while maintaining a high floor in passing yards (4,564). His home edge (2,235/18 over eight games) remained prominent, but Goff had more success on the road (2,329/16) while playing one more game. He delivered two impact games in fantasy points (37.30 and 30.20) while in Detroit. Goff passed for over 300 yards in six matchups (334/5, 320/3, 309/1, 338/3, 364/3, and 331/1). Fantasy Outlook: Despite his top-8 quarterback floor over the past three seasons, Goff comes off the board as the 15th quarterback in the early draft season in the National Fantasy Football Championship. The Lions have five talented receiving options, putting him on pace for another 4,500 passing yards with two passing touchdowns per game.