Lions Week 1 Power Rankings

ESPN (3. Detroit Lions* - Injuries decimated the Lions' defense in 2024, which led to a quick playoff exit after a dominant 15-2 regular season. The departures of coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, as well as new players on the interior offensive line, create notable uncertainties. But Detroit's roster is still stacked with talent. I expect the Lions to contend for the top NFC seed again despite projecting them to have the toughest schedule.):  https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/46095037/2025-nfl-season-predictions-power-rankings-super-bowl-pick

Yahoo (3 (3): Detroit Lions

The Lions couldn’t have been happy to see Micah Parsons go to a very good Packers team. Detroit should still be considered a Super Bowl contender, but it first has to survive the gauntlet of the NFC North.):  https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/nfl-kickoff-power-rankings-does-micah-parsons-make-the-packers-a-contender-140045990.html

FTW (5. Detroit Lions:  I think this tends to get lost in the shuffle, so to remind everyone: the Lions won 15 games last year. No problems they've endured in the offseason or preseason, such as losing both of their coordinators, are anything extraordinary for a team of this caliber. The same juggernaut roster remains in place. There's no reason to believe it can't enjoy similar dominance, provided Dan Campbell does his job. — RZ):  https://ftw.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2025/09/01/nfl-power-rankings-week-1-broncos-lions-raiders/85822571007/

SI (5. Detroit Lions:  I hate to rehash a tired preseason storyline, but we are about to see, in real time, just how singularly valuable a coordinator or coordinators can be to a team. And the preseason can’t sort that out for us. It’s only in real games, when Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn aren’t on the headset, that we’ll see how the Lions respond to a Dan Campbell team that was 3-13-1 the year before this staff really started to materialize together. This isn’t “hate” or “doubt,” it’s simply stating a reason why Detroit is not higher on this list.):  https://www.si.com/nfl/nfl-power-rankings-2025-final-preseason

PFT (5. Lions (0-0): Having Micah Parsons on the Packers will make things a lot tighter for the defending NFC North champs.):  https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/pfts-week-1-2025-nfl-power-rankings

NFL.com (5.  Detroit Lions:  I remembered watching the Lions’ playoff meltdown against the Commanders and wondering if they had missed their best chance to win a Super Bowl. Not that a Lombardi suddenly isn’t possible, but it feels like a farther reach. Detroit is breaking in two new coordinators and faces a monstrous schedule, including six games against dangerous NFC North teams. The already-tough Packers just added Micah Parsons, the Bears might be a real threat, and I don't think the Vikings are going anywhere. Dan Campbell and Jared Goff will push the pedal all season, and the return of Aidan Hutchinson bodes well for the defense’s hopes. There’s a reason I still have the Lions listed first among North teams. But the other three are quickly creeping up.):  https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-power-rankings-week-1-2025-nfl-season

PFF (5. Detroit Lions - Chance of winning Super Bowl: 6%. Biggest offseason addition: CB D.J. Reed (70.7).  Biggest offseason loss: C Frank Ragnow (85.3).  The Lions boast one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, a team full of star power but also serious questions. How will the offense look without Ben Johnson calling plays? How will the defense look without Aaron Glenn at the helm? How will the offensive line, without Frank Ragnow at center and three new starters on the interior, hold up?  There are questions, but the overwhelming consensus should be that the Lions are still a regular-season juggernaut capable of winning 14-15 games. Aidan Hutchinson, who logged a 94.9 PFF overall grade in five games in 2024, returns from injury and will be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The offensive and defensive identities of the Lions shouldn't look too different.  One player to watch in 2025: Guard Christian Mahogany, the team’s sixth-round pick in 2024, earned a 91.5 PFF overall grade in limited action in his rookie season and will now start the season at left guard. The Lions have high hopes for Mahogany, and he’ll have to hit the ground running.):  https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-week-1-power-rankings-2025

SN Iyer (6. Detroit Lions (5): The Lions will need to deal well with the losses of offensive and defensive coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn out of the gate to keep their tough NFC North competition at bay. Looking for more downfield passing to rev up the offense and much more reliable defense with Aidan Hutchinson back.):  https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-power-rankings-bills-49ers-packers-cowboys-dolphins/90bdd63b40cd3ef47afa3193?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=appeared_on

Athletic (6. Detroit Lions - Last ranking: 7.  The Lions moved up a spot in these rankings for one reason: the Hutch Rule. That’s what Detroit head coach Dan Campbell called his preseason policy of letting practice snaps continue even after Aidan Hutchinson beat his man and had his sights on the quarterback. Hutchinson, who is returning from a broken leg that ended his 2024 season in Week 6, has apparently done that so often this preseason that the offense wouldn’t get anything done without the Hutch Rule. If he is back at that level, he’s a Defensive Player of the Year front-runner.):  https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6586135/2025/09/02/nfl-power-rankings-week-1-eagles-packers/

CBS Prisco (7. Lions:  They will battle the Packers in the division and should be a wild card team. The loss of both coordinators and some attrition on the offensive line are concerns.):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-1-power-rankings-eagles-get-top-spot-to-start-but-bills-will-finish-no-1-with-long-awaited-title/

Walter football (8. Detroit Lions NFL Power Rankings Detroit Lions (15-2) – Previously: 7.  The Lions were No. 1 in these power rankings for most of the 2024 NFL season, but I moved them out of the top spot once Aidan Hutchinson and some other defenders suffered injuries. And then, things only got even worse because players continued to drop like flies. If the Lions can remain healthy, they might be one of the top Super Bowl LX contenders, but I worry about them because they lost both coordinators. This didn’t work out so well for the Eagles in 2023. Also, the departures of Frank Ragnow and Kevin Zeitler will hurt the team’s overall blocking.):  https://walterfootball.com/draft2026stock_01.php

USA Today (9. Detroit Lions (9): Much of the offseason focus has understandably been trained on their numerous coaching departures, including both coordinators. But let's not forget that DE Aidan Hutchinson will be back wrecking shop in Week 1, either.):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/columnist/nate-davis/2025/08/29/nfl-power-rankings-2025-micah-parsons-cowboys-packers-week-1/85894763007/

Fox sports (9. Lions:  The Lions are still loaded with talent, despite the loss of two offensive linemen (G Kevin Zeitler, C Frank Ragnow) and two key defensive players (CB Carlton Davis, edge rusher Za’Darius Smith) in the offseason. There’s no real reason not to think of them as a true contender. But there are worries, mostly about how they’re going to overcome the losses of their two coordinators (Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson). Also, until they play again, the lasting image is their terrible, 45-31 loss to the Commanders in the divisional round last year. This could be a Super Bowl team, but they’ve got something to prove first.):  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/2025-nfl-power-rankings-how-do-all-32-teams-stack-up-heading-week-1

Average Power Ranking (76/13):  6

Note:  I will add more if they become available