Despite entering the season with expectations through the roof, the Detroit Lions failed to make the playoffs in 2025, finishing at the bottom of the NFC North with a 9-8 record. Dan Campbell's team is loaded with premium talent on both sides of the ball, but failed to put the pieces together in their first year without Ben Johnson.
As the 2026 season draws closer, expectations remain the same. This team is too talented to fall short again. ESPN confirmed the Lions' unmistakable talent level in a recent series of position rankings.
The Lions led all NFL teams with nine players landing inside ESPN's top ten at various positions. With this much star power, Detroit has no excuses in its fight to return to the top of the division in 2026.
ESPN's top-ten rankings leave Lions with no excuses in playoff chase
While the Lions stood alone with nine top-ten players, no other team in the NFC North had more than four. Games aren't always won by having more star players than the opposing team, but that kind of talent discrepancy makes Detroit's failure to make the playoffs even more embarrassing.
The Lions had a strong mix of players represented on both sides of the ball in the rankings.
Quarterback Jared Goff (9th), running back Jahmyr Gibbs (2nd), wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (5th), tight end Sam LaPorta (4th), offensive tackle Penei Sewell (1st), edge defender Aidan Hutchinson (5th), linebacker Jack Campbell (5th), and safeties Brian Branch (4th) and Kerby Joseph (9th) all made the various lists.
Goff and Joseph were the only listed Lions players to not crack the top five at their positions.
Fans often think of teams like the Los Angeles Rams or Philadelphia Eagles as having the most star power in the NFL, but league decision makers clearly prefer the Lions, at least at the top of the roster.
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General manager Brad Holmes has done a commendable job of finding quality players throughout the NFL Draft. Goff is the only player listed who was not drafted by the Lions.
Health is a major factor here. These star players have struggled to stay on the field over the last two years. Their absences have played heavily into the team's shortcomings.
But if they can stay relatively healthy in 2026, there shouldn't be any excuses for missing the playoffs again. This is one of the best rosters in the NFL. It just needs to deliver the results that should come with that level of talent.
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