Lions at Dolphins Preview: Detroit Lays a Touchdown Without Jack Campbell and Kerby Joseph as Malik Willis Gets a Favorable Matchup

The Detroit Lions (5-2) head to Miami on Sunday as 7-point favorites over the 1-6 Dolphins, but the injury report tells a more complicated story than the spread. Linebacker Jack Campbell remains hospitalized after a frightening neck injury against Minnesota, safety Kerby Joseph has been ruled out by head coach Dan Campbell, and several more defensive starters missed Wednesday's practice. For fantasy managers, that creates a game where the Lions' offense is a strong play and the Dolphins' offense, led by Malik Willis, is far more interesting than Miami's record suggests.

Jack Campbell and the Lions' defensive injuries

The most important news is not football. Campbell, who was injured in the 19-15 win over the Vikings, released a statement this week saying he has full movement in his lower body and continues to make progress with movement in his upper body. He has not been placed on injured reserve, and he will not play Sunday. Everything else this week is secondary to his recovery.

On the field, Detroit's defense is thin. Here is how the Lions' notable injuries looked on Wednesday's report.

Branch's limited status matters. He has to clear all five steps of the league's concussion protocol before he can play, so Thursday and Friday participation will tell the story. Without Campbell, Joseph and potentially Branch and Reed, Detroit could be missing its best linebacker, both starting safeties and a top cornerback.

Fantasy fallout: the Lions offense

Jared Goff: start. He is a lineup lock in a favorable matchup against a Miami defense on a 1-6 team, and the game total, which has climbed from an opener of 47.5 to the 48.5 to 50.5 range depending on the book, points to a shootout-style script.

Jahmyr Gibbs: start. Gibbs ran for 153 yards against the league's stingiest defense in Minnesota in Week 8. He is an elite RB1 and is matchup-proof. If Detroit builds a lead, his workload in the second half should be heavy.

Amon-Ra St. Brown: start, monitor. A limited practice with a rib injury on Wednesday is not alarming by itself, but rib injuries can affect a receiver's willingness to absorb contact over the middle. If he is full by Friday, he is a WR1. If he is limited again Friday, he is still a start but with a slightly lower ceiling.

Center Cade Mays (ankle): A missing center can disrupt a run game and protection calls. If Mays sits, it is a small downgrade for Gibbs' efficiency, not his volume.

Fantasy fallout: the Dolphins offense

Miami's season has been a slog. The Dolphins traded receiver Jaylen Waddle for a package of draft picks, and they rank among the lowest-scoring teams in the league at about 16.7 points per game. But the arrow is pointing up: Miami has averaged roughly 23.7 points over its last three games, and Willis has been the reason.

Malik Willis: sneaky start. ESPN's projections describe this as Willis' easiest matchup of the season and view him as a fringe QB1, and Yahoo's weekly notes slot him as a low-end QB1 or high-end QB2. Against a Lions secondary that may be missing both starting safeties and a starting corner, with no Campbell in the middle, Willis' combination of arm strength and rushing ability is a real asset. In a game where Miami will likely trail and need to throw, his volume should be strong. He is a good streaming play for managers dealing with byes or injuries.

Dolphins pass catchers: The receiver who benefits most from Waddle's departure and a depleted Lions secondary is the one to roster. Positive game script for Detroit means plenty of second-half passing volume for Miami.

Defense and streamers

The Lions defense has been a popular streaming option this week because of the matchup, but the injury list should cool that enthusiasm. A unit missing its top linebacker and multiple defensive backs is less likely to generate turnovers, and Willis can extend plays. Detroit's pass rush could still produce sacks if Miami is forced into obvious passing downs, so the Lions defense is a reasonable floor play, but not the slam dunk it looked like on Monday.

Betting angle

Detroit opened as a 7-point road favorite, and the moneyline sits around -355 at some books, with the total rising since it opened. That move tells you the market expects points. Outside projections are grouped around a 6- to 11-point Lions win, though at least one betting column is taking Miami with the points, citing the improvement of the Dolphins' offense.

The angle worth considering is the total rather than the side. A depleted Lions defense plus an improving Miami offense plus Detroit's high-powered attack is a recipe for points, even if the Dolphins do not cover. For the model's lean on the game, see /blog/nfl-week-9-picks-2026 and /nfl/predictions.

What's next

Watch Thursday and Friday's reports for Branch, Reed and St. Brown. If Branch clears the protocol, the Detroit defense's outlook improves significantly. If he does not, Willis climbs from streamer to a legitimate QB1 option, and the Dolphins' top receiver becomes a confident flex. For Detroit, the priority is surviving the next month while Campbell recovers, and the offense is capable of carrying the team through that stretch.