The Detroit Lions’ second preseason game of the 2026 season is in the books, and it’s time to check in on the players who helped or hurt their stock against the Washington Commanders.
Attendance
The Lions rested 17 players (including 10 starters), along with three others on injury lists (PUP/NFI).
Let’s take a quick look at the roster with our game-day depth chart, noting that the players without a position color did not play in this game. Additionally, if a player’s name is written in red, they came into the game injured;
if they were injured during the game, their name is boxed in black.
Quarterback
- Stock neutral: Josh Dobbs, Luke Altmyer
- Did not play: Jared Goff
It was a bit of a mixed showing from the reserves on Saturday, with both quarterbacks flashing promise, while also making some glaring mistakes. Dobbs got the start and turned the ball over on the first two drives, but ran a 50-yard read-option touchdown on drive three and settled in after that. Altmyer was sacked three times on his opening drive, but he settled in once the Lions established their rushing attack. Overall, in a game meant to separate the two, the QB2 job looks unsettled, with neither seizing the opportunity.
Running back
- Stock up: Jacob Saylors, Trayveon Williams, Raheem Blackshear
- Did not play: Jahmyr Gibbs
- Injured: Isiah Pacheco (MCL sprain), Sione Vaki (back spasms)
- Game injury: Jabari Small (concussion)
Saylors got the start and likely remains in the lead for the RB4 job, but after a terrific show by every reserve running back, he has some real competition for the job. Saylors is a steady runner who can put power behind his pads, find the daylight in the defensive line, and has the balance to cut back against the grain.
Small entered this game as Saylors’ biggest challenger, displaying power and quickness, but he unfortunately suffered a concussion on his sixth snap and was forced from the game. With only a week before cutdown, it’s a tough time for an injury.
Williams was arguably the most impressive runner on Saturday, displaying wiggle, burst, decisiveness, and vision. He not only ran 10 times for 36 yards and a touchdown, but also caught a screen pass and took it for 24 yards. In all, Williams managed to outrush the entire Washington offense by himself.
Blackshear had the lowest production output of the backs (2.6 yards per carry), but some of that can be attributed to the situation he found himself in: being asked to run into a loaded box when the Commanders’ defense knew it was a run. Three straight runs gained a total of eight yards, and on fourth-and-two, he got what they needed to run out the clock.
Wide receiver
- Stock up: Lucky Jackson, Tay Martin
- Stock neutral: Isaac TeSlaa, Greg Dortch, Tom Kennedy, Malik Cunningham
- Stock down: Dominic Lovett, Tarik Black
- Did not play: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams
- Game injury: Cedrick Wilson (knee)
With the Lions’ running game cooking, it was a quiet night for the receivers: only Cedric Wilson and Lucky Jackson caught more than one pass (two each), and Wilson was tied for third in receiving yards (21); Jackson was fifth (15). Martin, Kennedy, and Cunningham each caught one pass for double-digit yardage; solid but average production. Lovett, who had a chance to separate himself with a good game, caught just one pass for six yards in a disappointing outing, while Black couldn’t manage a catch, despite entering the game in the second quarter and playing into the fourth quarter.
Martin remains the most fascinating reserve receiver in my eyes. Yes, he dropped a critical third-down pass, but he was also a catalyst in springing Dobbs 50-yard touchdown run by executing a key block. He also started this game, played more snaps than any wide receiver, and contributed on special teams.
Tight end
- Stock up: Jackson Meeks
- Stock neutral: Brock Wright, Tyler Conklin
- Stock down: Thomas Gordon, Zach Horton
- Injured: Sam LaPorta (hip)
It was the Jackson Meeks show on Saturday, as the tight end convert put his receiving skills on display, leading the team in receptions (4) and receiving yards (33), and was tied for the most snaps among the tight ends. But beyond the stats, he made plays when it mattered, converting a fourth down with an adapted route and reception, then forced a fumble late in the game with a wonderful special teams tackle.
“It does feel like home,” Meeks said of adjusting to tight end. “I’m loving tight end. I think I am loving the challenge more than—I love football—but I am loving the challenge because I am learning a whole new part of football.”
Conklin looked like a steady veteran on Saturday, displaying why he is likely locked in as TE3. While he did get beat for a sack on a push-pull from an edge rusher, the rest of the game he was solid. He sealed the other half of the hole on the Dobbs touchdown run, wiping out Commanders first-round pick Sonny Styles on the play, and caught two passes for 21 yards, including a third-down conversion.
Gordon and Horton appear to be falling out of the TE4 competition. Gordon tied Meeks for the most snaps by a tight end in this game, but while Meeks was stellar, Gordon was not targeted. Meanwhile, Horton was the last tight end to find the field (in the third quarter) and also failed to register a target.
Offensive line
- Stock up: Tate Ratledge, Blake Miller*, Miles Frazier, Mason Miller
- Stock neutral: Larry Borom, Christian Mahogany, Juice Scruggs, Devin Cochran
- Stock down: Seth McLaughlin, Melvin Priestly*, Colby Sorsdal
- Did not play: Penei Sewell
- Injured: Cade Mays (wrist), Ben Bartch (concussion), Giovanni Manu (NFI)
- Game injury: C Michael Niese (leg)
I want to reiterate how difficult it is to grade offensive line play live, and remind folks that perspectives often change more with this group than any other once you can watch the game replay. That said, my initial positive looks mostly came from players’ run-game performances and clear wins in pass protection, while my negative grades went to those making obvious mistakes.
Ratledge and Blake Miller looked like they had great communication and left me with encouragement that they’ll be in a good spot for the regular season, while Frazier and Mason Miller were people movers in the run game in the second half.
McLaughlin had two false start penalties in a row (yes, the first was credited to Frazier, but the entire line moved except McLaughlin, meaning he didn’t snap the ball on time) and then got bull-rushed over a few plays later. I thought he was great at getting interior push in the run game, but the mistakes were too big to offset the positives. I still believe he has a great shot to make the roster, but I’m not sold that he can beat out Scruggs for the starting role.
Defensive tackle
- Stock up: Skyler Gill-Howard*, Levi Onwuzurike, Ben Stille
- Stock neutral: Tyleik Williams, Chris Smith, Mekhi Wingo
- Stock down: Myles Adams, Tyre West*
- Did not play: Alim McNeill
Gill-Howard continues to shine with his ability to generate interior pass rush, registering as many as five plays in which I thought he might get credit for forcing a quarterback pressure. In the locker room post-game, he was self-critical of his run defense; he did execute a beautiful tackle for loss.
Onwuzurike’s power and positional versatility were on display in this game as he started at the 3-technique, but ranged out to the 5-technique at times, causing problems for the offensive line. After a slow start to camp, he is settling into the two-deep rotation.
Stille continues to climb the depth chart and entered this game as NT2 behind Tyleik Williams, but ended up rotating the role with Chris Smith. But Stille wasn’t limited to just nose tackle reps, as he also showed the range to kick out to the 4i/5T, giving the Lions another option at Big End.
Adams didn’t see the field until the fourth quarter, while West did not see the field in any capacity, a disappointing outcome after he flashed a few times in practices this past week.
Defensive end
- Stock up: DJ Wonnum, Derrick Moore*
- Stock neutral: Ahmed Hassanein, Anthony Lucas*
- Stock down: Tyler Lacy, Eric O’Neill*
- Did not play: Aidan Hutchinson
- Injured: Payton Turner (back)
Wonnum looked great in this game, displaying a steady veteran presence on the edge and taking advantage of one-on-one challenges, including sacking Washington starting quarterback Jayden Daniels on his second play of the game.
On paper, Moore plays a similar rush end role as Wonnum, but he’s being utilized in very different ways. Coaches have leaned into Moore’s versatility and athleticism, allowing him to stand up, kick out to the wide-9, and the production has come—he registered a sack that resulted in a forced fumble.
Lacy landed in the stock-down category because he was surprisingly playing well into the fourth quarter, and has started splitting some time with interior defenders like Onwuzurike and Stille. I still think he’s in a solid spot, but these new wrinkles are notable.
I hate putting O’Neill in stock down because he continues to flash production when on the field; the issue I have is that coaches didn’t put him in the game until the fourth quarter, which is telling about where he sits on the depth chart. Right now, I think he’s a lock for the practice squad as an exciting developmental player, but if he had a shot at the roster, he’d be playing earlier in these games.
Linebacker
- Stock up: Devin White, Malcolm Rodriguez, Trevor Nowaske
- Stock neutral: Derrick Barnes, Erick Hunter, Amen Ogbongbeniga
- Stock down: Joe Bachie, Troy Reeder
- Did not play: Jack Campbell
- Injured: Jimmy Rolder* (hamstring), Damone Clark (undisclosed)
White is a tackling machine. His instincts in the run game/blitzing are exciting, and now that he is settling in, it’s clear to see his path to a starting WILL linebacker role. Rodriguez is still in the mix, but he’s been used in more situational spots than an every-down role, like goal line, coverage, and backup MIKE when Jack Campbell is in different roles.
Nowaske’s power was on display in this game, collapsing his edge on the Gill-Howard tackle-for-loss play and delivering strong/impactful hits throughout the game.
Bachie and Reeder remain starting-level special teamers, but they’ve fallen behind on the defensive depth chart. Bachie didn’t enter the game on defense until the third quarter, while Reeder only got on the field late in the fourth quarter.
Cornerback
- Stock up: D.J. Reed, Roger McCreary
- Stock neutral: Rock Ya-Sin, Nick Whiteside, Ennis Rakestraw, Keith Abney*, Khalil Dorsey
- Stock down: Ryan Cooper, Ekow Boye-Doe
Reed didn’t look limited from his recent groin injury, and his tackle for loss was exceptional… just please be careful with those backflips, okay?
McCreary got work on the second team on the outside and rotated in at nickelback, displaying solid coverage skills in both spots and reminding us of why many were so excited to see him join the team in the offseason. He’s peaking at the right time.
Cooper only saw the field on special teams, while Boye-Doe didn’t see the field in any capacity in this game.
Safety
- Stock up: Avonte Maddox, Christian Izien (NB)
- Stock neutral: Chuck Clark, Aamaris Brown*
- Injured: Brian Branch (PUP), Kerby Joseph (PUP), Thomas Harper (undisclosed)
- Game injury: Dan Jackson (undisclosed)
Maddox was very productive in this game, showing all-around skills. He was solid in coverage, and the only catch he “allowed” was a screen pass that he blew up for a five-yard loss. Additionally, his work setting a firm edge on Wonnum’s sack won’t show up in the stat sheet, but it was critical to keeping Daniels in the pocket and vulnerable to the sack.
Izien played just five defensive snaps in this game, all in the slot, and that was enough for coaches to pull him and keep him protected.
Jackson appeared to be injured late in the game, and with Maddox, Izien, and Clark all done for the day, along with Harper not available, the Lions turned to Nick Whiteside to rep at single-high safety to close out the game.
Specialists
- Stock neutral: Jack Fox, Jake Bates, Hogan Hatten
Bates missed from 55 yards but was successful from 39 yards, while also executing a few kickoffs that hit in the landing zone, making it difficult for the returner to field the kick.
