Detroit Lions 2026 NFL odds, season preview, analysis and predictions

There weren’t many teams with a more disappointing 2025-26 season than the Detroit Lions, as they lost four of their final six games and missed the playoffs at 9-8.

General manager Brad Holmes has admitted there has been a little more “fire” to get back on track this season, and if there’s any coach in the NFL who doesn’t need more motivation, it’s Dan Campbell.

While their Super Bowl aspirations aren’t as high as they’ve been the past few seasons, Jared Goff is still at QB, and their offensive trio of RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, and WR Jameson Williams is still one of the league’s best.

Expect a big bounce-back season in Detroit; I’ll explain why in my Lions 2026-27 season preview.

Don’t forget to check out Sports Interaction’s complete list of NFL game odds and NFL futures.

Detroit Lions NFL futures

The Lions missed the playoffs last year for the first time in three seasons, but oddsmakers clearly don’t expect that again. Here are multiple futures markets that you can bet on around Detroit this season:

• Win the Super Bowl (+1900)
• Win the NFC (+950)
• No. 1 seed in the NFC (+800)
• Win the NFC North (+170)
• Make the playoffs (-210)
• Regular season wins: Over 10.5 (+110) | Under 10.5 (-135)

As I stated above, Goff, Gibbs, St. Brown, and Williams are the main contributors on offence, but Detroit has a few defensive players competing for awards this season. Here are a few Lions you can bet on:

• Jahmyr Gibbs to win Offensive Player of the Year (+700)
• Aidan Hutchinson to win Defensive Player of the Year (+1000)
• Penei Sewell to win Protector of the Year (+500)

Detroit Lions squad strengths

The Detroit Lions will once again rely on a dynamic offence, and that is clearly their biggest strength this season. If you had asked me this question the past few seasons, I would point to Detroit’s offensive line as their biggest strength, but there isn’t as much continuity with that unit after releasing veteran linemen Taylor Decker and Graham Glasgow. It isn’t all doom and gloom for the Lions, though; OT Penei Sewell will slide in to left tackle, and rookie OT Blake Miller or veteran OT Larry Borom will fill in at right tackle. This should still be one of the NFL’s best offensive lines.

When you have a great offensive line, your position players can shine, and that will be the Lions’ biggest strength this season. QB Jared Goff has proven he can lead an elite offence, as they’ve been a top-five offence each of the past four seasons. Gibbs, St. Brown, Williams, and TE Sam LaPorta are all back in the fray, and the only player missing from last year’s team is RB David Montgomery. However, Detroit replaced him with Super Bowl champion RB Isiah Pacheco, who should fill in nicely for Montgomery. Overall, I expect this Lions offence to once again be their biggest strength and one of the best units in the NFL.

Detroit Lions squad weaknesses

Defence and continuity will be Detroit’s biggest weaknesses this season. As good as the offence was last season, they often relied on chunk plays, and as a result, offensive coordinator John Morton was fired after just one season. In comes Drew Petzing, who spent the past three seasons as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator under coach Jonathan Gannon. Arizona hasn’t exactly shined recently, but Petzing has a much better team here in Detroit. The changes at offensive line are also a concern, but Sewell did play LT in college and is considered the league’s best pass protector, so I’m not too worried about him sliding back into an old position.

Detroit’s biggest weakness is clearly their defence, specifically their secondary. They were already thin, but things got worse when they released cornerback Terrion Arnold after his arrest on charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. D.J. Reed is still solid, but the spot opposite him is now up for grabs. It isn’t clear who will fill in, but if Detroit wants to make a postseason run, they’ll need to slow down opposing passing attacks.

Over 10.5 regular season wins (+110)

Detroit went 9-8 in 2022-23 and followed that up by winning 12 games. I expect them to get back to 11-13 wins, and their schedule is extremely easy compared to the past few seasons. Outside the NFC North, Detroit will face the NFC South, AFC East, Arizona Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, and New York Giants. I expect them to collect at least eight wins in that stretch, and if they can go 3-3 in the division, they should cruise past their win total of 10.5.