Pride of Detroit
We’ve finally reached the starters when it comes to our countdown of every player on the 2026 Detroit Lions roster. A good way to see if the Lions improved or got worse is to compare the following 10 players to the players we ranked from 20-11 in our 2025 edition of these rankings.
This range of 10 players includes three newcomers, six draft picks, and six linemen.
Here are the players we ranked from 20 to 11.
Previously:
Ya-Sin has one of the biggest jumps on this year’s list. While some of that is certainly due to him way outperforming expectations last year, I think he likely would’ve been somewhat lower on the list if Terrion Arnold was still on the team. Instead, Ya-Sin is now facing a starting role on the defense, and our staff clearly believes he’s capable of assuming that job.
While the Lions have been very careful not to hype up their players too early, second-year receiver Isaac TeSlaa has a fair amount of buzz heading into 2026.
“I mean, he is just consistent, and where we expected him to be at this point this time for year two is exactly where we want him, and I would say probably even a little bit more,” Dan Campbell said this spring. “You are impressed. He feels like a veteran right now.”
He still needs to prove he can live up to that hype, but it’s safe to say expectations are relatively high for Detroit’s WR3.
Last year’s ranking: N/A
Wonnum comes to Detroit with 30.0 career sacks in 86 games—a welcome, productive career to the Lions’ defensive end room. But Wonnum will have to share time with rookie Derrick Moore opposite Aidan Hutchinson, so it’s unclear how much opportunity he’ll have to match a career high 8.0 sacks.
Mahogany actually climbs this year’s rankings despite a frustrating 2025 season. Injuries and uneven play plagued his second year, but there is certainly some hope the 2024 draft pick can rebound with a healthier season and a better fit under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
Last year’s ranking: N/A
Detroit’s only true aggressive free agency move came at center, where they handed Cade Mays a three-year, $25 million contract. Mays’ career at center is just 1.5 years deep, and he’s still just 27 years old, so Detroit is hoping Mays is just starting to tap into his potential, and if he does, Detroit will have a budget-friendly pivot for the next few years.
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