The Detroit Lions have officially begun preparations for their season opener at home against the New Orleans Saints. Head coach Dan Campbell’s group returned to practice this week and will continue until Sunday’s contest.
Detroit will look to get off to a nice start in 2026 after missing the postseason in 2025. Though the Saints have promise this season and should compete for the NFC South title, they are an ideal Week 1 matchup for the Lions to gain momentum early.
With the Lions back on the practice field for the regular season, the team released the initial injury report on Wednesday. Detroit is mostly healthy entering this weekend’s game against New Orleans, but there are still some takeaways from the latest injury report.
Lions Wednesday Injury Report Headlined By Christian Izien and Derrick Moore
The best news from the Lions’ initial injury report is that no player on the active roster was listed as a non-participant. However, cornerback Christian Izien, edge rusher Derrick Moore, and defensive lineman Mekhi Wingo were estimated as limited participants, as Detroit didn’t hold an official practice on Wednesday.
Corners Keith Abney II and Ennis Rakestraw Jr., safety Thomas Harper, and linebackers Trevor Nowaske and Jimmy Rolder are also dealing with injuries, but were full participants.
Another great piece of news is that tight end Sam LaPorta wasn’t on the injury report at all, meaning he’s ready to go for Week 1. LaPorta had back surgery in November 2025 and also dealt with a hip issue in camp, but the productive tight end seems to be fully healthy now.
Izien and Moore are expected to be key pieces of the defense, so it’s a bit worrying that they are banged up just days away from the game, though Izien is already making fast progress from a leg injury suffered in camp. Both players still have time to recover and make a push to play on Sunday.
Overall, outside of the players on the PUP list and injured reserve, the Lions are in a fantastic spot when it comes to health entering Week 1. We’ll see whether Izien, Moore, and Wingo can progress enough to take the field when the Saints come to town, but that remains the lone concern.
