Six Starters Who Must Play in Lions Preseason Game Against Commanders

If the Detroit Lions elect to play starters in the preseason game, some have more to gain than others.

Head coach Dan Campbell hinted that the Lions could play starters against the Commanders on Saturday. The team won't be holding joint practices this year, which have traditionally been when the team deploys their starters for their work against other teams.

Because there are no joint practices, the Lions would benefit from getting their starters game action against the Commanders. Campbell said not everybody will play, but that several members of the starting lineup could get game reps.

Here are six starters who could benefit greatly from playing in Saturday's game, even if it's just for a short stint.

QB Jared Goff

The Lions cannot afford to lose Goff, as he's one of the most valuable players on their roster given his position and the impact he's had. However, I do think there is something to be gained by playing him, even if it's just for a series or two.

The Lions have a new offensive coordinator in Drew Petzing. Last year, the Lions debuted a new coordinator in John Morton and the team did not play starters in the preseason. This could be tied to the sluggish start they got off to in a Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

In front of the home fans and possibly behind a starting offensive line, Goff could get a lot of value out of playing a series or two. The biggest value would be the fact that he could experience Petzing's play-calling in an unscripted environment, as he and his new coach would have to adapt to the environment of the game in what could be a trust-building experience.

RT Blake Miller

Miller made his debut and played last week against the Bengals, and did so to mostly positive reviews. It wasn't all pretty for the rookie, but by and large he had a solid first showing after the Lions drafted him in the first-round.

I believe MIller would benefit from getting more action against the Commanders' defense. For starters, he's still in a competition for the job against veteran Larry Borom, and needs to cement his status as the opening day starter.

Additionally, he needs to log as many reps as possible in order to hit the ground running when the Lions open the regular season. By going through the process once again against a new opponent, Miller will be able to bank even more valuable action ahead of his official debut.

RG Tate Ratledge

Ratledge has worked some center in recent days, though that can likely be attributed to Juice Scruggs being sidelined. He seems set to be the starting right guard, and as a result he should get some work next to Miller in a game environment.

Miller did not play next to Ratledge last week, and the home environment could be beneficial for the pairing to get some work together. It won't be as loud as a regular season road game, so they can hone their communication in this environment.

While it may not be a substantial amount of work, having Ratledge work with Miller would do wonders for the Lions' overall offensive line success.

TE Sam LaPorta

LaPorta is coming off a season-ending injury, so it's been a long time since he was able to take part in game action. Like Goff, it doesn't have to be a significant workload, but simply going through the process of playing could be beneficial for LaPorta.

The Iowa product has proven to be one of the game's best young tight ends early in his career, and the value of his presence was emphasized by the team's struggles in his absence late last year.

Playing LaPorta would allow him to potentially shake some of the rust from his absence off, even if it is just for a short period of game action.

DT Tyleik Williams

Like Miller, Williams is a young player who will benefit from getting all the reps he can. The Lions could be relying on him to have a massive role in 2026 after playing modest snaps as a rookie, and the young player needs exposure to game settings to boost that development.

Williams could build some confidence if he plays at a high level, while simply taking the field against another opponent would allow him to see new looks that he'll need to be familiar with when the Lions open the regular season.

CB Rock Ya-Sin

A steady veteran who seems to be securing the second cornerback spot, Ya-Sin would give the Lions a solid veteran to help anchor the defense for a fixed amount of time in Saturday's game. It could also serve as the last box he needs to check to officially be a starter for the Lions' defense in Week 1.

Ennis Rakestraw has been up and down throughout camp, which has helped Ya-Sin's case to start. However, a good performance could ensure that he holds off the Missouri product should he make a late charge to start.

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