Two Lions Players Whose Stock Is Trending Down Entering Bye

Examining two Lions players who saw their stock take a hit following Week 5.

Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien (5) celebrates a play against New York Jets during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Detroit Lions recorded their best all-around effort of the 2026 season in their Week 5 win against the Arizona Cardinals. Dan Campbell's team found success on both sides of the football, delivering a promising performance going into its bye week.

Yet, not every Lions player delivered a strong performance in the intraconference contest. With that said, here are two players who saw their stock take a hit following the Week 5 tilt.

WR Isaac TeSlaa

In Detroit's matchup with Arizona, TeSlaa had his first reception-less outing of the season since Week 1 against New Orleans. This came after the second-year wideout recorded two consecutive solid showings: vs. the Jets in Week 3 and against the Panthers in Week 4. He amassed at least three receptions and north of 65 yards in both games, including a career-best 95 yards in the Lions’ Week 4 loss in Carolina.

Consequently, TeSlaa appeared to be turning the corner and gaining a bigger role in Drew Petzing's offense until his no-catch, two-target day in the desert.

The onus now is on Petzing & Co. to carve out a more significant role for TeSlaa in the passing game coming out of the bye week. 

S Christian Izien 

Perhaps no Lions player's stock is more down than Izien. The fourth-year defensive back recorded a dismal effort in Week 4 against the Panthers, allowing five catches, 57 yards and a touchdown on five targets, equating to a passer rating of 153.8. 

And for his efforts, he earned a lowly Pro Football Focus overall mark of 45.6, by far his worst overall grade of the season. It was the definition of a forgettable performance from the safety.

And to add insult to injury, the former Buccaneers defensive back was not given a single snap on defense this past week against Arizona. It's a pretty telling sign of how far he has fallen down the depth chart in a matter of just two weeks.

While his outlook isn't promising at the present moment, I believe there will come a time this season when the Lions will once again call upon Izien's number.

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