Detroit Lions updated depth chart: Preseason Game 3 vs. Colts

Ahead of every Detroit Lions game in 2026, we will provide readers with an updated depth chart of the team’s roster based on what we are seeing at practices, with this installment representing where we believe the Lions roster sits heading into preseason Game 3 against the Indianapolis Colts.

In the Lions’ first preseason game against the Bengals, they rested 32 players (including 18 starters), plus three others on injury lists (PUP/NFI). In the second game, they rested 17 players (including 10 starters). Coach Dan Campbell was noncommittal when discussing whether he would play any starters in this game, but with cuts looming 24 hours later, he’ll surely be very selective in who he decides to dress in this game.

“They’re all ready to play, and we’ll play it by ear and just see; we’ll get a feel for it,” Campbell said on Thursday. “I mean, I want our guys to get some reps here, and if you’re going to the game, then you’ll be expected to play the whole game if needed.”

To help out your game viewing experience, here are a few keys to keep in mind when exploring this depth chart:

Players’ numbers are listed (in parentheses)

Projected starters are bolded

An asterisk* identifies rookies

Injuries are noted after a player’s name/number

Be cautious of two players wearing the same number, including No. 2, 12, 17, and 43

Lions depth chart: Preseason Game 3 vs. Colts

Quarterback (3)

Jared Goff (16)

Luke Altmyer* (2)

Josh Dobbs (6)

Altmyer vs. Dobbs for the QB2 role is certainly one of the highlights of this preseason finale, and while the Lions have historically preferred veterans in the role, coaches insist that this year’s battle is up for grabs.

“I mean, you would like that because those guys have played; there are real reps,” Campbell said of leaning on a veteran QB2 in the past. “They’ve been under real fire in real football games, and that is important. But that’s not the end-all, be-all, either. If you think there’s somebody to work with here and that he’s shown enough progress and he’s only going to get better, then we don’t close our eyes to that either.”

Running back (7)

Jahmyr Gibbs (0)

Isiah Pacheco (10) — MCL strain/Back injury

Sione Vaki (33) — recent injury: eye

Jacob Saylors (25) — recent injury: ankle

Jabari Small (26) — recent injury: knee

Trayveon Williams (47)

Roydell Williams (24)

Gibbs certainly won’t play in this game, and Pacheco is recovering from a new back injury, but after that, we could see any number of backs play on Saturday. Vaki’s value on special teams could keep him off the field against the Colts, and Saylors could get some rest if he is comfortably RB4, but this battle looks far from over, and he may need to prove himself one more time.

Wide receiver (10)

Amon-Ra St. Brown (14)

Jameson Williams (1) — recent injury: shoulder

Isaac TeSlaa (18)

Greg Dortch (8)

Tay Martin (17)

Dominic Lovett (19)

Tom Kennedy (85)

Malik Cunningham (15)

Lucky Jackson (11)

Tarik Black (12)

Injured list

Kendrick Law* (88) — Injured reserve

The Lions are set with their top four wide receivers, but who is WR5, and will they keep a WR6? It’s still up for debate. Martin, Lovett, and Kennedy are projected to be the top reserves battling things out, but keep an eye on which ones play on special teams in this game, as those depth roles require that skill set.

Tight end (6)

Sam LaPorta (87) — recent injury: hip

Brock Wright (89)

Tyler Conklin (83)

Jackson Meeks (13)

Thomas Gordon (82)

Zach Horton (43)

Meeks has separated himself from the rest of his TE4 competitors, and the only thing keeping him from the 53-man roster is roster construction. Keep an eye on him in this game and see if he can force coaches to find room for him on the active roster.

Offensive line (16)

Projected starters for the regular season

LT Penei Sewell (58)

LG Christian Mahogany (73)

C Juice Scruggs (70) — recent injury: soft tissue injury

RG Tate Ratledge (69)

RT Blake Miller* (76)

Don’t expect any of these players to play in this game.

Projected starters for this game

OT Larry Borom (79)

G Ben Bartch (78) — recent injury: concussion

C Seth McLaughlin (65) — absence (unknown) on Thursday

RG Mason Miller (63)

RT Miles Frazier (71) — recent injury: undisclosed

Reserves

LT Devin Cochran (77) — recent injury: undisclosed

LG Melvin Priestly* (74)

C Gus Hartwig (60)

RG Miles Frazier (71)

RT Colby Sorsdal (75)

Unlikely to play due to injury

C Cade Mays (64) — wrist

C/G Michael Niese (62) — leg

Injured list

OT Giovanni Manu (59) — Non-football injury (NFI)

The starting five appear to be in place, while Borom and Frazier look like they’ve locked up reserve roles. However, the Lions get a gameday roster exemption if they dress eight offensive linemen for regular season games, which is why they’ve kept between eight and 10 offensive linemen in the past. Bartch, McLaughlin, and Miller look like the frontrunners for those spots, but each has questions, and it’s unclear how many spots are actually available—or if the Lions may go in a different direction entirely.

“Backend of the O-line is always going to be up (for grabs). I say that, there’s a chance that player’s not even here yet either,” Campbell said earlier in the week.

Interior defensive line (9)

3T Alim McNeill (54)

DT Tyleik Williams (91)

3T/5T Levi Onwuzurike (95)

3T Skyler Gill-Howard* (50)

DT Chris Smith (90)

3T Mekhi Wingo (94) — recent injury: concussion

DT Ben Stille (72)

DT Myles Adams (96)

3T Tyre West* (52)

After entering training camp with a lot of concerns, the defensive line group has been terrific throughout practices/games and looks to be one of the strongest groups on the roster. This group presents some tough decisions, and performance in this game could prove valuable.

“The D-line room is, I mean, that can go any way right now; it really can,” Campbell said earlier in the week. “I mean, there’s a number of guys in there; the hard thing is you can’t keep all those guys. You just can’t, not without it hurting the rest of your roster. And there are some good players in there, and there’s some veterans, there’s some young guys, there’s raw talent, but there’s things in there that you really like. And that thing is up in the air right now in a number of spots.”

EDGE (7)

EDGE Aidan Hutchinson (97)

EDGE DJ Wonnum (98)

Big End Tyler Lacy (93)

EDGE Derrick Moore* (9) — absence (unknown) on Thursday; recent injury: groin

Big End Ahmed Hassanein (99) — absence (unknown) on Thursday

Rush End Anthony Lucas* (61)

Rush End Eric O’Neill* (66)

Hutchinson, Wommum, and Lacy have established themselves as starters—depending on the defensive formation—with Moore and Hassanein looking like their direct backups. It’ll take a lot for either UDFA rookie to make the roster, but Lucas and O’Neill have flashed enough in camp/games to make things interesting.

Linebacker (10)

MIKE Jack Campbell (46)

SAM Derrick Barnes (55)

WILL Devin White (45)

WILL Malcolm Rodriguez (44) — recent injury: ankle

MIKE Jimmy Rolder* (41) — hamstring

SAM Trevor Nowaske (53) — leg

MIKE Joe Bachie (35)

WILL Erick Hunter* (48)

MIKE Troy Reeder (51)

WILL Amen Ogbongbeniga (57)

The Lions typically prefer to roster six linebackers for defensive depth and special teams purposes. And while the top six listed seem like the leaders for those roles on the 53-man roster, it’s not clear where Rolder or Nowaske stand with their injuries, opening the door for one (or two) of the final four linebackers to find a role with a good performance against the Colts.

Cornerback (10)

CB D.J. Reed (4) — recent injury: groin

CB Rock Ya-Sin (23)

CB Nick Whiteside (38) — recent injury: hamstring

CB Ennis Rakestraw (2) — recent injury: leg

NB Keith Abney* (28)

CB/NB Roger McCreary (21)

CB Khalil Dorsey (30)

CB Ryan “Bump” Cooper (40)

CB Ekow Boye-Doe (43)

CB Eric Scott (5)

With the planned increase of nickel packages, the Lions could feel inclined to keep as many as seven players from this group, but if they need to make room for depth at another position (like TE4 or OL10), this could be the group where coaches pick up that roster spot. The players in this group are not only battling each other, but also the construction of the entire roster.

Safety (9)

S Avonte Maddox (29) — left Thursday’s practice early

S Chuck Clark (36)

NB/S Christian Izien (27) — undisclosed

S Thomas Harper (12) — ankle

DB Aamaris Brown* (42)

S Dan Jackson (17) — undisclosed

DB Jason Taylor II (34)

Injured list

S Brian Branch (PUP) — knee

S Kerby Joseph (PUP) — Achilles

Late camp injuries have opened the door for opportunities for depth players to prove their value. If Branch and Joseph open the season on PUP, the Lions may be inclined to roster four from this group while retaining another two on the practice squad. Plenty of incentive for this group to play well in the preseason finale.

Specialists (3)

P Jack Fox

K Jake Bates

LS Hogan Hatten

Kick/punt specialists

Kickoffs — Jake Bates (39)

Holder — Jack Fox (3)

Punt Returners — Greg Dortch (8); Tom Kennedy (85); Dominic Lovett (19)

Kick Returners — Greg Dortch (8) and Jacob Saylors (25); Tom Kennedy (85) and Jabari Small (26)

Gunners — Khalil Dorsey (30) and Christian Izien (27); Nick Whiteside (38) and Tay Martin (17)

Personal protector (PP) — Sione Vaki (33); Avonte Maddox (29)

At-a-glance projected depth chart

Notes: 1) There are 13 starters listed on defense in order to illustrate who is in line for a starting role depending on the Lions’ Base vs. subpackage formations. 2) Players listed in Red (with a white background) are currently dealing with an injury in training camp (listed above) and may not play in this game.

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