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Detroit Lions 2026 Team Rankings and Ratings

86.7PFM Team Score
PFM Verdict

Why PFM Ranks the Lions Here

Detroit can still dictate games through Jahmyr Gibbs, Jared Goff and an offensive line built for play action. That identity keeps the Lions at No. 4, and Dan Campbell gives the team a strong weekly floor. The concern is depth: the defense still trails the offense, while line and backfield turnover remove some of the support that made Detroit so hard to wear down.

NFL Rank#4Current PFM ranking
NFC Rank#3Among NFC teams
QB Stability#7Jared Goff · Franchise Locked In
Season OutlookSuper Bowl Contender
Head coachDan Campbell
Offensive coordinatorDrew Petzing
Defensive coordinatorKelvin Sheppard
Offense88.5No. 2
Defense80.5No. 16
Coaching Direction85.7No. 4
Latest Ratings Update

PFM Trend

Updated Aug 18, 2026
Latest directionDeclined

Detroit lost a little ground after starting center Cade Mays fractured his wrist and was ruled out for roughly 8-10 weeks, lowering the Lions' roster and offensive-line grades.

PFM Team Score86.7
Score movement-0.13
NFL RankNo. 4
Rank movementNo rank change

PFM Score History

89 88 87 86 85 86.8 Jul 13 86.8 Jul 24 86.8 Aug 4 86.8 Aug 11 86.7 Aug 18
Roster StrengthDeclined85.0 → 84.5 · -0.42
Offense StrengthDeclined88.5 → 88.5 · -0.02
PFM Team DNA

Detroit Lions Team DNA

View all NFL team rankings
Detroit Lions Team DNA chartPFM category scores on a 0 to 100 scale: QB Stability 85.4; Offense 88.5; Explosiveness 84.9; Roster Strength 84.5; Franchise Direction 80.5; Coaching Direction 85.7; Defense 80.5.
PFM category scores · 0–100 scale
QB Stability85.4No. 7 in NFLStrength
Offense88.5No. 2 in NFLMajor Strength
Explosiveness84.9No. 8 in NFLStrength
Roster Strength84.5No. 4 in NFLStrength
Franchise Direction80.5No. 4 in NFLWatch
Coaching Direction85.7No. 4 in NFLStrength
Defense80.5No. 16 in NFLWatch
Identity

Offense Leads the Way

Detroit wants Jahmyr Gibbs and the line to establish a physical run game before Jared Goff works play action from a clean pocket. Aidan Hutchinson is expected to create the defensive disruption before coverage stress builds.

Pressure Point

Detroit Needs Pressure Beyond Aidan Hutchinson

The defense needs to keep improving. More consistent stops are needed if the Lions want to make a deep run.

PFM ROAD AHEAD

2026 Detroit Lions Strength of Schedule

Detroit has one of the league’s more favorable schedules at No. 28, with opponents averaging 78.1. New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears still give the schedule a real test, but 2 games against current top-10 teams keep the full road from looking as heavy as most.

Difficulty Rank#28No. 1 is toughest
Opponent PFM Avg.78.1Average across opponents
Next 3 Avg.76.5Upcoming opponents
Top-10 Matchups2Games vs. current top 10
Away games left8
Top-10 road opponents1

Toughest remaining opponent: New England Patriots at 86.0 PFM.

Sam LaPorta Hip Injury Puts Week 1 in Question

Sam LaPorta is dealing with a hip injury and Dan Campbell would not guarantee that he will be ready for Detroit's September 13th opener.

The Lions still have enough offensive firepower to avoid an immediate downgrade but LaPorta is a pivotal piece in a PFM offense rated among the league's best. His absence would narrow Jared Goff's middle-of-the-field options. We are still 3 weeks out from the opener but this one needs to be monitored closely.

Around the League

League Context

Closest Team DNA Match

Built Like Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears logo
Chicago BearsMatch distance: 2.35 rating points

Shared profile: Defense and QB Stability.

Detroit gets coverage time for the rush through coverage and the defensive front, while Chicago gets coverage time for the rush from coverage and the defensive front. two important parts of the roster connect the teams because each side has a football answer beyond the first option. Chicago separates in Explosiveness through more threats around the offensive line.

Where they separate: Explosiveness. Bears hold the stronger current rating.

Supporting Team Information

More About the Team

Badge History2 active badges · Last verified change Jul 17, 2026
  1. Jul 17, 2026 · Badge tracking startedEarned Coaching Edge, Loaded Roster
Franchise History

Detroit Lions in the Super Bowl Era

Detroit is still chasing its first Super Bowl appearance.

Super Bowl Titles
0
Super Bowl Appearances
0
Super Bowl Record
No appearances
Last Appearance
Still chasing First appearance
View Detroit Lions Super Bowl History

Current Injuries

NFL Injury Tracker
PFM ratings updated
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