By Moses Joshua 
Detroit’s depth takes another hit as injuries pile up ahead of primetime showdown with Philadelphia
The Detroit Lions are heading into their massive Week 11 primetime matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles with a thinner roster than expected. On Saturday, the team officially downgraded four players to out and added a rookie wide receiver to the injury report — a late development that complicates an already challenging road test.
Four Players Downgraded to Out
Detroit confirmed that Marcus Davenport (EDGE), D.J. Reed (CB), Malcolm Rodriguez (LB) and Miles Frazier (OL) will not play Sunday night. All four had been working back from long-term injuries, but none were activated ahead of the deadline.
Rodriguez the lone mild surprise
Of the group, Malcolm Rodriguez is the closest to returning and had been practicing for three weeks. The hard-nosed linebacker has been sidelined since last November with an ACL injury and is nearing the end of his 21-day activation window. Detroit must activate him by Tuesday, Nov. 18, or he will remain unavailable moving forward.
Reed and Davenport still need time
Dan Campbell previously hinted neither player was ready for a full return.
Reed, recovering from a hamstring injury, is aiming to be back in early December. Davenport, who suffered a pectoral injury in Week 2, expressed excitement about being back at practice but still lacks a clear timetable.
Frazier’s clock is ticking
Rookie offensive lineman Miles Frazier has also been practicing, but after missing all of camp and the preseason due to a spring knee injury, Detroit will give him additional time before deciding on activation.
Rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa Added to Injury Report
The newest concern came Saturday afternoon when the Lions added Isaac TeSlaa (WR) to the injury report with an oblique injury. He is officially questionable for Sunday.
TeSlaa’s role has quietly expanded under Dan Campbell’s new offensive play-calling structure. After logging just 12 offensive snaps between Weeks 7 and 8, he saw 20 snaps in last week’s win over Washington and hauled in a short reception — his first since scoring a touchdown in Week 5.
His addition to the injury report is unexpected, as he was not listed all week.
Detroit’s Growing List of Concerns
The Lions had already ruled out several key contributors prior to Saturday’s update:
- Terrion Arnold (CB)
- Kerby Joseph (S)
- Sam LaPorta (TE)
- Josh Paschal (EDGE)
Detroit will also enter the game with a cluster of players listed as questionable, including:
- LT Taylor Decker
- CB Amik Robertson
- RB Jacob Saylors
- RB Sione Vaki
- TE Brock Wright
- RT Penei Sewell
Additionally, defensive lineman Pat O’Connor was placed on injured reserve with a back injury, opening a roster spot heading into the weekend.
Next Man Up for a Must-Win Atmosphere
With several key contributors sidelined, Detroit will rely heavily on its depth — especially at linebacker, where Ty Summers is expected to take on a larger special teams role behind the trio of Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, and Derrick Barnes.
Sunday night’s game already carried massive implications, but Detroit’s latest injury developments add a new layer of urgency. Against a 7-2 Eagles team, every healthy Lions player will be needed to keep their hold on NFC playoff positioning.