The Detroit Lions have plenty of star power.
The Lions led the NFL with nine top-10 players at every position per ESPN’s annual surveys of league executives, coaches and scouts. ESPN also projects that seven different Lions would fetch at least one first-round NFL draft pick if they were traded today.
Detroit also possesses the sixth-best roster according to both ESPN and NFL.com’s 2026 roster rankings. So, it’s safe to say there’s plenty of respect for the Lions heading into the 2026 campaign.
In another illustration of that fact, CBS included six Lions within its 100 most important players for the 2026 NFL season.
LaPorta and Branch were included within the back from injury section of CBS’ list, Sewell in the trenches category, Gibbs and St. Brown in the star offensive playmakers portion and Goff inside the quarterbacks on contenders segment.
Here’s what CBS had to say on each:
TE Sam LaPorta
LaPorta’s midseason injury — a herniated disc in Week 10 — completely changed his team’s offense. Using the success rate, the Lions ranked sixth-best with LaPorta on the field. With him off the field, it fell to 29th.
S Brian Branch
It was a close call between Branch and fellow Lions safety Kerby Joseph for this spot. Branch got the nod thanks to his versatility and, unfortunately, also to the severity of his injury: He tore his Achilles in early December. Branch lines up all over the place and sets the tone with his physicality and intensity.
OT Penei Sewell
A perennial All-Pro right tackle, Sewell is flipping to left tackle this year. Maybe he follows in the footsteps of the next player on this list (Bucs OT Tristan Wirfs) and does so seamlessly; he certainly has all the ability in the world to do so. Maybe it takes some time. Regardless, he is vital to the Lions’ operation.
RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Gibbs is also in line for a huge extension after his second straight year with 1,800+ yards from scrimmage and 18+ touchdowns scored. He’s the first player to do that in consecutive years since Todd Gurley in 2017-18. Gibbs’ breakaway speed makes him a threat to score from anywhere. He could see his biggest workload yet with David Montgomery gone.
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown
St. Brown is the only player in NFL history with 110+ catches, 1,200+ receiving yards and 10+ receiving touchdowns in three straight seasons. Not too shabby for a former fourth-round pick. St. Brown has blossomed into much more than just a slot receiver, and his toughness embodies what the Lions are all about.
QB Jared Goff
When not under pressure, Goff is a strong-armed, precise passer who can dissect defenses, especially in the intermediate areas of the field. Under pressure, though, he can fall into all sorts of trouble. The Lions will hope an upgraded offensive line can keep him clean. He also has a new offensive coordinator in Drew Petzing.
Lions rookies report to training camp on Saturday, July 25 and veterans report on Tuesday, July 28.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Six Lions among CBS’ 100 most important players for 2026 NFL season
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Josh Helmer, Lions Wire | USA TODAY Network
