5 Detroit Lions who are about to be much bigger deals in 2026 than anyone realizes
5 Lions players quietly about to matter a lot more in 2026 than most fans expect. From a safety breakout starter to expanded WR roles and a rising interior DL piece, there are some under-the-radar names ready to reshape the depth chart.
The Detroit Lions’ 2026 season is less than 100 days away, and we want to take a step back and talk about five players who are going to be big deals for the Lions this year and five players who you might want to temper your expectations for. Let’s start with the big deal guys.
S Thomas Harper
I’ve been bringing up Harper a lot lately because I feel fans don’t realize how good this guy is. One of the highest-graded safeties in the NFL during his nine starts this year. He’s likely to be the Lions’ starter at the beginning of the season, and if Kerby Joseph can’t return to the field or to form, Harper is the guy you should expect to hold down his spot from then on.
WR Greg Dortch
Yes, he’s the Lions’ WR4, but he’s coming in with Drew Petzing, and the Lions’ new OC used Dortch a lot and in a lot of different ways in Arizona. He should be getting a ton of gadget-like plays targeted to him this year. On top of that, he’s likely to be a return man as well on special teams. Expect to see Dortch a lot more than your average WR4.
WR Isaac TeSlaa
TeSlaa should be expected to be a big part of the Lions’ offense this year in that Josh Reynolds/Tim Patrick role. Expect him to be targeted on deeper throws over the middle, and expect him to get a lot of red zone targets due to his contested catch ability. But don’t expect a third 1,000-yard receiver.
DT Tyleik Williams
Williams is stepping into the starting role full-time this year, and I think a lot of Lions fans missed out on how good Williams was in his rookie year because he didn’t break any records or do anything super notable. But when he was on the field, he was playing well. He should be expected to help out a lot with pass rushing from the interior this offseason, as well as the expected run-stuffing.
LB Malcolm Rodriguez
The Lions lost Alex Anzalone, and while they drafted Jimmy Rolder to replace him, that’s not something that is likely to happen right away. This will give Rodriguez his first chance to be the full-time starter at the Will until Rolder is ready.
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