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Detroit Lions DST

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Player Outlook
The Lions defense was a top-10 unit in Fantasy Football over the first four weeks when Aidan Hutchinson was healthy. Thanks to a couple of touchdowns they were still top five at the halfway point in the season. But injuries decimated this defense in the second half and they were unplayable down the stretch. Their biggest addition in 2025 will be the return of a healthy Hutchinson, but they also added D.J. Reed in free agency and drafted defensive lineman Tyleik Williams in Round 1. Their biggest loss may have been defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who became the head coach of the Jets. As long as Hutchinson is himself, we expect the Lions to return to form as a top-10 defense though their schedule does feature some of the best offenses and quarterbacks in the NFL. Don't reach for them before the final two rounds of your draft.

Fantasy News

  • Lions' Divaad Wilson: Reverts to IR

    Rotowire
    Wilson (undisclosed) reverted to the Lions' injured reserve list last Thursday after getting waived with an injury designation, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports. The cornerback would need to be waived with an injury settlement to have a chance to play in 2025. He initially signed with Detroit just two days before getting waived/injured. Wilson has appeared in seven NFL games across two seasons with the Cardinals and Giants, playing on 118 defensive snaps and 33 special-teams snaps while recording 10 tackles (eight solo) and a pass breakup.
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  • Lions' Amik Robertson: Humerus fracture healed

    Rotowire
    Robertson (arm) has been a full participant at OTAs, indicating that his left humerus fracture is fully healed, Jimmy Liao of USA Today Lions Wire reports. Robertson had surgery in January to repair the broken humerus he sustained in Detroit's divisional-round loss to Washington. He set career highs with eight passes defensed and 50 tackles during the 2024 regular season and should remain a contributor in the secondary for the Lions in 2025.
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  • Lions' Ennis Rakestraw: Back in action

    Rotowire
    Rakestraw (hamstring) is a full participant in OTAs, Jimmy Liao of USA Today reports. The cornerback missed the final two months of the 2024 campaign with the hamstring issue. In the eight games he did play, Rakestraw recorded six tackles (four solo) on 95 special-teams snaps and 46 defensive snaps. A 2024 second-round pick, Rakestraw could compete for a larger role in Detroit's secondary this year.
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  • Lions' Marcus Davenport: Participating in OTAs

    Rotowire
    Davenport (triceps) is a full participant in OTAs and is expected to be ready for the start of the season, Jimmy Liao of USA Today reports. The defensive end suffered a triceps injury in Week 3 last year that ended his season, and he continues to wear a wrap on his left elbow, per Liao. Davenport has played in just six games over the last two seasons due to injuries, and he signed a one-year deal for the third offseason in a row in March. Despite his injury issues, Davenport is in line to start on Detroit's defensive line across from Aidan Hutchinson.
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  • Lions' Tyleik Williams: Not practicing yet

    Rotowire
    Williams (leg) has not yet participated in OTAs, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports. The defensive tackle and 2025 first-round pick fell to the turf field near the end of his 40-yard dash at Ohio State's pro day back in March, per Joey Kaufman of The Columbus Dispatch. Williams was seen walking under his own power later in the day and also tweeted that the injury wasn't serious. Detroit coach Dan Campbell said Thursday that the team just wants its rookies "healthy and ready to go, full speed, come training camp," per Bianchi.
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  • Lions' Malcolm Rodriguez: Likely out for start of season

    Rotowire
    Rodriguez (knee) is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports. The linebacker was placed on injured reserve last November after tearing his ACL in a win over the Bears. Detroit coach Dan Campbell offered a conservative estimate Thursday that Rodriguez could return by November, per Woodyard. The 2022 sixth-round pick is entering the final season of his four-year rookie deal, and while he started 15 games as a rookie, he has played more often in a backup and rotational role since then.
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  • Divaad Wilson: Waived with injury designation

    Rotowire
    The Lions waived Wilson (undisclosed) with an injury designation Wednesday, Howard Balzer of USA Today reports. Wilson was just signed by Detroit on Monday. Should he clear waivers, Wilson will revert to the Lions' injured reserve list.
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  • Lions' Divaad Wilson: Lands in Detroit

    Rotowire
    Wilson signed with the Lions on Monday. The cornerback has appeared in seven NFL games across two seasons with the Cardinals and Giants, playing 33 special-teams snaps against just 26 defensive snaps in 2024. Wilson has 10 career tackles (eight solo) and a pass breakup. In Detroit, he could compete for a depth role on the outside behind projected starters D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold.
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  • Gavin Holmes: Cut by Detroit

    Rotowire
    Holmes (undisclosed) was waived/injured by the Lions on Monday. The cornerback, who initially signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent, now will revert to the team's injured reserve list if he goes unclaimed by other clubs, meaning he'd need an injury settlement to play in 2025. Holmes suited up for 30 games over his last two college seasons, 2023 and 2024, at Texas, recording 30 total tackles and five pass breakups.
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  • Lions' Jack Campbell: Limited Friday

    Rotowire
    Campbell (hip) was a limited participant in Friday's organized team activities, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports. Campbell also told reporters he underwent a minor hip operation early in the offseason but emphasized that it's nothing to be worried about. The 2023 first-round pick from Iowa improved in his second year in the NFL, recording 131 total tackles, including 1.5 sacks, five passes defended and one forced fumble over 17 regular-season contests. Once Campbell returns to full health, he's expected to serve as one of the Lions' top tacklers in 2025.
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  • Lions' Zach Cunningham: Going to Motor City

    Rotowire
    Detroit signed Cunningham on Tuesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Cunningham has played for four different NFL teams in his career, most recently suiting up for seven regular-season games with Denver in 2024. For the first time though, the linebacker was used more frequently on special teams than on defense. He'll probably only fill a depth role for the Lions in 2025, and Cunningham's days of being a lock for 100-plus tackles in a season would seem to be long behind him.
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  • Lions' Aidan Hutchinson: Back to full health

    Rotowire
    Hutchinson (leg) told reporters Thursday that he's fully cleared to return, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports. Hutchinson was the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year before sustaining a season-ending leg injury in the Lions' Week 6 win over the Cowboys in 2024. However, he now appears to be completely past the issue. Over the Michigan product's first three years in the NFL, he appeared in 39 regular-season games and recorded 132 total tackles, including 28.5 sacks, 10 passes defended, with four interceptions, and four forced fumbles. Now back to full health, Hutchinson is expected to continue wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks in 2025.
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  • Lions' Aidan Hutchinson: Doing well at practice

    Rotowire
    Lions defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers said Thursday that Hutchinson (leg) has looked "really good" at voluntary offseason workouts, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. Hutchinson suffered a fractured tibia and fibula roughly seven months ago, and he was initially provided a four- to six-month recovery timetable. The star pass rusher's rehab appears to have been on the quicker side, given that Detroit had expressed optimism about him returning down the stretch last season, had the team advanced all the way to the Super Bowl. Hutchinson has already resumed running at full speed and participating in individual drills, and while Rodgers noted that his workload will continue to be managed into training camp, he remains on track for Week 1. The Lions picked up Hutchinson's fifth-year option late April.
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  • Lions' Raequan Williams: Signs with Lions

    Rotowire
    The Lions signed Williams on Monday. Williams spent the entirety of last season on Carolina's injured reserve with an undisclosed injury. His last appearance in a regular-season game came in 2021 with the Eagles.
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  • Lions' Aidan Hutchinson: Fifth-year option exercised

    Rotowire
    The Lions picked up Hutchinson's (lower leg) fifth-year option Friday, Field Yates of ESPN reports. Hutchinson is now under contract through 2026 and has a projected salary of $19.78 million in the fifth and final year of his rookie deal. The 2022 first-round pick continues to rehab and recover from a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg that he suffered in Week 6 against the Cowboys, and he's expected to participate in OTAs and be fully healthy by the start of training camp in July.
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  • Lions' Dan Jackson: Added by Lions

    Rotowire
    The Lions selected Jackson in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 230th overall. Jackson played sparingly on defense through his first five years at Georgia before taking over as starting safety in 2024. Through 14 games in his final season, Jackson posted 64 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and two interceptions. The 24-year-old boosted his draft stock at the Senior Bowl, where he was named the top safety. However, his starting experience is still limited, and he'll need to find a role on special teams in Detroit.
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  • Lions' Ahmed Hassanein: Lions add fiery Round 6 edge rusher

    Rotowire
    The Lions selected Hassanein in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 196th overall. Hassanein (6-foot-2, 267 pounds) lacks the ideal height and reach (32 and 1/4-inch arms) to play on the edge, but his Boise State production has shown Hassanein has a considerable amount of innate skill at shedding blockers at the point of attack. Hassanein really took off in his third season, at which point he became a three-down starter and raced his way to 22.0 sacks and 32.0 tackles for loss over the next 28 games. As a high-motor grit guy, Hassanein should fit in just fine with the Lions.
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  • Lions' Tyleik Williams: Links up with Lions

    Rotowire
    The Lions selected Williams in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 28th overall. The interior of Detroit's defensive line got tested last season, particularly when Alim McNeill went down with a torn ACL late in the year. Williams helps bridge that gap and adds depth once McNeill is ready to return. The Ohio State product is a massive presence in the middle at 6-foot-3 and 334 pounds with an ability to penetrate and make stops in the backfield (18 TFL, 5.5 sacks over last two seasons). If Detroit was searching for a big body with some disruptive capabilities, Williams fits that bill perfectly.
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  • Lions' Kerby Joseph: Resets safety market with new contract

    Rotowire
    The Lions and Joseph reached an agreement on a four-year, $86 million extension Wednesday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. In the midst of many of his fellow Detroit defenders getting injured in 2024, Joseph played in all 18 games between the regular season and playoffs, and he parlayed it into a breakout as a playmaker with an NFL-leading nine interceptions, which surpassed the eight combined picks he tallied in his first two pro campaigns. The 2022 third-round pick has reset the safety market with the highest overall and annual values at the position, and he'll continue to hold up the back end of the Lions defense for the foreseeable future.
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  • Lions' Khalil Dorsey: Sticking with Detroit

    Rotowire
    Dorsey re-signed with the Lions on Thursday. The cornerback suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Detroit's December loss to the Bills last year, but he appears to be healthy again. Dorsey played on 70 defensive snaps in 14 regular-season games with the Lions in 2024 and on 76 defensive snaps in 13 regular-season games the year before. Dorsey projects as a depth corner behind free-agent signing D.J. Reed, 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold, 2024 Pro Bowler Brian Branch and Amik Robertson.
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