DE Ezekiel Ansah (ankle) is fully healthy to play Sunday against the Bengals.

Analysis: Ansah nursed an ankle injury for a better part of the season, but he's no longer listed on the injury report at all. Bengals QB Andy Dalton was benched in Week 15 after he threw two interceptions, which puts the Lions in good position as they forced eight turnovers in the last two games. The Bengals have also scored just 14 combined points in the last two games and may be without starting RB Joe Mixon (concussion) again. Either way, the Lions have a solid floor in championship week with the…read more

CB Nevin Lawson is ill ahead of Saturday's game against the Bears.

Analysis: The Bears have the worst passing attack in the league, so missing a top corner wouldn't be a death sentence for the Lions. Detroit forced five turnovers last week, but they failed to force one in the two weeks before. Further, in these two teams first matchup of the season, the Bears scored 24 points and coughed up the ball just once. There's not much on the Lions side of the ball to prove that they're a good Week 15 play, but the Bears have recently lost their identity, scoring a combined 17…read more

DE Ezekiel Ansah continues to battle an ankle injury ahead of Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.

Analysis: Ansah's pass rush would be helpful against a Bucs team that averages over 37 passes per game, the fifth most in the league. Tampa has scored 20-plus points in each of its last three games, only turning the ball over once in that span. The Lions on the other hand, have allowed 24 points or more in each of their last three games, only forcing one turnover in that span. The Bucs have one of the best receiving corps in the league, and since they aren't afraid to flaunt it, the Lions secondary could…read more

CB Jamal Agnew (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Ravens.

Analysis: Agnew is rarely used on defense, but he has contributed by running back to punts for touchdowns this season. The emergence of Ravens RB Alex Collins has made them a credible run offense, especially since their passing game is the worst in the league. The Lions welcome run-first offenses, though, as they've only allowed over 100 rushing yards twice through 11 games, and they rank sixth in the league with eight forced fumbles. Still, the Ravens are never an easy matchup on the road, although the…read more

Ezekiel Ansah (back) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Vikings.

Analysis: Ansah would be valuable against the Vikings, as they have a strong offensive line and the eighth-ranked rushing offense in the league. However, he only notched three tackles when the two teams met in Week 4. In that contest, the Lions managed to force three turnovers and allow only 284 yards of total offense, but they lost the decision 14-7. Vikings' QB Case Keenum has coughed up the ball five times in the last five games, which bodes well for the Lions chances of snagging another one.…read more

DE Ezekiel Ansah continues to deal with a knee injury ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Bears.

Analysis: The Bears are equipped with two stud running backs -- Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen -- but the Lions ninth-ranked run defense looks ready for the matchup. Chicago enters this game with 16 turnovers; however, they've given up only two in the last three contests, showing improvements with rookie QB Mitchell Trubisky. The Lions' defense may bend a little bit against in a tough road matchup, but they're skilled enough to keep the Bears out of the end zone and produce a top-tier fantasy performance.

DE Ezekiel Ansah is nursing a knee injury ahead of Sunday's contest against the Browns.

Analysis: The Browns' weekly opponent should continue to draw fantasy owners' to the waiver wire once again. To give credit where it's due, the Lions have held their last two opponents to 20 points or less, forcing just two turnovers in that span, which is uncharacteristic of a defense that racked up 14 turnovers in its first six games. The Browns provide an ample opportunity to get back on track, since they've coughed up the ball 11 times in their last four contests, while averaging 14 points a game in…read more

The Lions are headed to Green Bay for a Monday night game.

Analysis: At the beginning of the season, the Lions likely circled this game thinking it'll be one of the toughest on the schedule, with Aaron Rodgers (collarbone) on prime time television. Now, after seeing Brett Hundley's inefficiencies running the Packers' offense, this matchup is much more promising. Hundley has completed just 52.5 percent of his passes, and he's thrown just one touchdown compared to four interceptions in a little over seven quarters of action. The Lions' defense has its fair share…read more

The Lions' defense leads the league with nine interceptions through six games.

Analysis: There was major doubt in the Steelers' legitimacy early in the season, but with back-to-back wins over the Chiefs and Bengals, they seemingly dismissed those worries. QB Ben Roethlisberger has thrown three touchdowns and just one interception, while RB Le'Veon Bell has racked up 383 yards from scrimmage over those two games. It's clear the Steelers are rolling, and the Lions are coming off a bye week where players were able to recover from injuries, but they may come out stagnant. Better…read more

LB Paul Worrilow (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Saints.

Analysis: Saints' QB Drew Brees isn't showing signs of age, as he's completing over 69 percent of his passes for 1,135 yards, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Lions are coming off a game where Panthers' QB Cam Newton lit them up for 355 yards and three touchdowns. Detroit's inefficiencies against strong pass attacks raises questions about whether they can handle the Saints. This game has the makes of being a shootout with mediocre defensive units on both sides, and the Lions D/ST isn't a top…read more

LB Paul Worrilow sprained his left MCL and won't play Sunday against Carolina.

Analysis: The Lions' may be skimp at linebacker this week as Jarrad Davis is still completing concussion protocol. Luckily, the Panthers will bring a stagnant ground game to town -- no Panthers' running backs have a rushing touchdown. The Lions will be ready for the inaccuracies of QB Cam Newton, as they've recorded seven interceptions through four weeks, not to mention the four fumbles they've recovered as well. Basically, the Lions are a turnover-forcing machine, while the Panthers turn the ball over…read more

LB Jarrad Davis has been practicing but hasn't officially cleared concussion protocol, making his availability for Sunday's game against the Vikings questionable.

Analysis: Against the doubts, Vikings QB Case Keenum has performed admirably, completing over 64 percent of his passes for three touchdowns and no interceptions. No Minnesota quarterbacks have thrown an interception yet this season, and their team has just one fumble lost as well. In comparison, the Lions have racked up seven interceptions and a fumble recovery through just four games, but they're allowing over 340 yards of total offense per game. Detroit's fantasy value is seemingly dependent on…read more

LB Jarrad Davis (concussion) and SS Tavon Wilson (shoulder) are unlikely to play in Sunday's game against Atlanta.

Analysis: LB Tahir Whitehead is expected to shift to inside linebacker in Davis' absence, and he's fully capable having racked up 132 tackles in 15 games last season. He already has 13 tackles (seven solo) and an interception this season, quietly making himself part of the glue that keeps Detroit's defense togehter. The Falcons are headed to town without their starting tackle Ryan Schraeder, but QB Matt Ryan likely isn't worrying as he has RB Devonta Freeman to dump the ball off to when he faces…read more

The Lions will play the Giants on Monday.

Analysis: The Lions showed they shouldn't be written off in Week 1, holding the Cardinals' offense to just 17 points, intercepting QB Carson Palmer three times, returning one for a touchdown, and recovering a fumble. It doesn't get much better than that. Nevertheless, it's best to think of this game as an anomaly. Detroit is now up against a Giants' offense that struggled immensely without WR Odell Beckham (ankle) on the field. It's still unclear whether Beckham will play, and if he does, the Lions will…read more

DE Ezekiel Ansah (undisclosed) practiced all week and is expected to play Sunday against the Cardinals.

Analysis: The Cardinals proved they were more than competent last season with RB David Johnson tearing up the league with 20 total touchdowns and QB Carson Palmer proving he can hold his own. Having Ansah back is important for the Lions since he'll bolster a young, inexperienced defensive front. To make things more difficult, their 2017 first-round pick MLB Jarrad Davis will be responsible for helping slow the Cardinals' running game. The Florida product is more than capable of fulfilling this duty, but…read more

The Lions have lost DE Kerry Hyder (Achilles) for the season.

Analysis: On the heels of a team-leading eight-sack season, Hyder was supposed to give the Lions a fearsome pass-rush combo opposite Ziggy Ansah. However, the team will need to search for answers elsewhere now that Hyder's done for the year due to a ruptured Achilles he sustained in the preseason opener. While it isn't immediately clear who slide in with the first-team defense in his absence, every option the team has can only be considered a downgrade at this point.

The Lions have an open competition at nickel corner in training camp.

Analysis: The Lions' pass coverage was near awful in 2016, considering they allowed quarterbacks to complete a preposterous 72.7 percent of their passes en route to a league-worst 106.5 passer rating against. The problem wasn't so much on the outside, where Darius Slay and Nevin Lawson actually teamed up to form a respectable combo, but on the inside where opponents completed 34 of 38 passes when targeting incumbent starter Quandre Diggs. Detroit management signed 2013 first-rounder D.J. Hayden and…read more

The Lions drafted LB Jarrad Davis and CB Teez Tabor with their first- and second-round picks, respectively, in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Analysis: Davis, the 21st overall pick, was a dominant performer at Florida who the Lions didn't hesitate to install as their starting middle linebacker in offseason practices. Tabor, on the other hand, picked off four passes in each of his final two seasons at Florida and could potentially push for as high as the No. 2 spot on the depth chart behind Darius Slay. Considering Detroit finished 19th and 18th in terms of passing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed, respectively, in 2016, the defense…read more

Lions cornerback Darius Slay (hamstring) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Packers.

Analysis: Slay was held out of the Lions' 42-21 loss to Dallas in Week 16 with the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 15 and he could be sidelined for what will be the most important game of the season to this point for Detroit. The Lions had gone eight consecutive games without allowing more than 20 points before the Cowboys exploded for six touchdowns on Monday night, and they now must prepare for the red-hot Packers offense that has scored 35.3 points per game over the past three weeks and scored 34…read more

Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy recorded eight tackles in Week 15 against the Giants.

Analysis: In his second game back from a knee injury that restrained him to the sidelines for the majority of the season, Levy was among the team-leaders in tackles last Sunday and looks to be operating at full speed. By comparison, the Wisconsin product only totaled four tackles in his Week 14 return against the Bears. With CB Darius Slay (hamstring) looking unlikely to play, the Lions will need all they can get out of Levy in order to slow down the Cowboys' potent offensive attack.

Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead (knee) is deemed questionable for Sunday's game against the Bears.

Analysis: Whitehead missed last week's game due to the knee injury, but the Lions seem to think that there's a better chance that he'll play Sunday. Fortunately for Detroit, this week draws a favorable matchup against Chicago, a team that has struggled to find an offensive identity up to this point in the season. Regardless as to whether or not Whitehead plays, the Lions figure to be one of the more intriguing plays this week.

Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy (knee) is marked as questionable for Sunday's game against the Saints.

Analysis: Levy's health remains a top priority for the Lions as they group from one of the league's most proficient offenses. Drew Brees and company have topped 30 points in six games this season. There is a solid chance that this game could be a showdown between two gunslingers with Brees and Matthew Stafford. For all intent and purposes, it could be wise to explore a backup option if Levy can't suit up. Otherwise, Detroit has proven their worth over their last three games, holding opponents below 20…read more

Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (ankle) is considered questionable for Thursday's game against the Vikings.

Analysis: Ansah has been limited in practice all week, but has played through the injury in past weeks, giving the indication that he should be active against Minnesota. The Vikings have allowed 26 sacks so far this season and are last in the league with under 300 total yards per game. They possess one of the stronger defenses in the NFL, so this game could very well turn into a defensive struggle, making the Lions D/ST a decent play in Week 12.

Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy (knee) is considered questionable for Sunday's game against the Jaguars.

Analysis: Levy is arguably the Lions' best defensive player, so his return would be an immediate boost to a Detroit defense that ranks near the middle of the league in both passing and rushing defense. The Lions, coming off a bye week to a juicy matchup with a struggling Blake Bortles and the Jaguars, are a great value play as a D/ST in Week 11.

Lions defensive end Tavon Wilson led the team with nine tackles in last week's 20-13 loss to Houston.

Analysis: Detroit's defense played well despite the losing effort in Week 8, holding the Texans to just 269 yards on the day. The Lions' defense ranks in the bottom third of the league in total defense but they'll face a Vikings squad in Week 9 that has scored just 10 points in each of its past two games. The matchup makes Detroit a team to consider as a fill in option on Sunday.

Lions' linebacker Tahir Whitehead lead the team with 12 tackles in a 20-17 win over the Redskins in Week 7.

Analysis: The Lions played a bend but don't break style against the Redskins, allowing 417 yards but generating two turnovers. The team could be without Haloti Ngata (shoulder) and Darius Slay (hamstring) in Week 8, but thankfully they'll be taking on a Texans squad that has struggled to find it's rhythm offensively all season, ranking 31st in points scored per game.

Lions defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (shoulder) is considered questionable for Sunday's game.

Analysis: Ngata has yet to play since injuring his shoulder two weeks ago. It was originally reported that Ngata would be sidelined two to three weeks while recovering, but it now seems like there is a chance that he could play this upcoming week. If he's unable to suit up, A'Shawn Robinson and Khyri Thornton will likely continue to fill the void. Next week's matchup with the Redskins figure to feature a ground attack, so Ngata's presence could factor greatly into the game's outcome.

Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (ankle) is marked as questionable for Sunday's game.

Analysis: Ansah's health remains of the utmost important for the Lions who stand somewhat thin along the defensive front. Detroit sits at the bottom half of the league in regards to passing defense, so the Lions will need Ansah's ability to rush the passer Sunday in order to keep some of the weight off of the secondary. Additionally, Detroit has allowed a league-high 14 touchdowns through five games this season. While the Rams don't pose any true offensive threat, the Lions have not done anything to…read more

Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy (quadriceps) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Eagles.

Analysis: Levy was forced to sit out of last week's action due to the ailment and is in jeopardy of missing Week 5 as well. The former Wisconsin standout has yet to practice this week and given the fact that he has been sidelined for nearly a month, there is a good chance that the team will let him practice before rushing him back into game action. As for the defensive cast at large, the Lions will be forced to play with who's still healthy. Whether that'll be good enough to stymie Carson Wentz's bunch…read more

Lions safety Tavon Wilson (neck) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Bears.

Analysis: Wilson emerged as the starting strong safety for the Lions after a strong preseason performance. Given the severity of neck injuries, it would not be surprising if he is forced to miss Sunday's contest. However, fortunately for Detroit, Chicago has their fair share of injuries and could possibly be without quarterback Jay Cutler for a second consecutive week. Even if Cutler does play, the Bears' offense has been unimpressive in the early going. Detroit's defense could be in line for a a strong…read more

Detroit veteran linebacker DeAndre Levy (quadriceps) could miss an extended amount of time.

Analysis: Levy's absence is going to leave a noticeable stain on Detroit's linebacking corps. In addition to Levy's projected absence, news broke earlier that Ezekiel Ansah is dealing with high-ankle sprain and Kyle Van Noy is nursing an injured calf. In the span on just a couple days, the Lions went from one of better defenses in the league to a team fantasy owners should be wary of playing.

Analysis: Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Thursday he expected Levy to play, but it's now clear the 29-year-old linebacker is in serious danger of missing Sunday's game. After playing each of Detroit's 70 defensive snaps in last week's opener, Levy was a non-participant at practice throughout the week. His likely absence will require Thurston Armbrister and/or Antwione Williams to take on expanded roles against Tennessee.

Lions cornerback Bill Bentley (illness) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the 49ers.

Analysis: Bentley missed practice on Thursday due to illness, but returned in a full capacity just one day later, so it's likely he'll suit up come Sunday. With fellow defensive back Glover Quin (concussion) banged up, the Lions' secondary will certainly welcome any added depth.

Lions defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (neck) is listed as questionable for Monday night's game against the Saints.

Analysis: Ngata was limited throughout practice this week due to a neck injury, putting his status in question ahead of Monday night's kickoff. While the Saints' pass-heavy offense may limit Ngata's potential contributions anyway, the Lions will still hope to have him available to occupy blockers.

Lions free safety Glover Quin (ankle) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Rams.

Analysis: Following limited sessions Wednesday and Thursday, Quin was a non-participant at Friday's practice. Nonetheless, Quin's blog on the Lions' team website suggests that he still expects to suit up, but if not, his snaps would likely go to Don Carey and/or James Ihedigbo

In advance of Sunday's game against the Raiders, Lions cornerback Josh Wilson (knee) was placed on season-ending injured reserve this week, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Analysis: With Rashean Mathis (concussion) already on injured reserve and Nevin Lawson (concussion) in danger of missing Week 11, the Lions badly need to add depth at a position that wasn't exactly a strength to begin with. Wilson had been serving as the team's nickelback.