The New York Giants will be down several starters this week when they visit Detroit on Sunday afternoon. The Lions are 6-4 and coming off a 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but are currently in third place in the NFC North.
Meanwhile, the Giants will turn to Jameis Winston for the second straight week, as Jaxson Dart was unable to clear concussion protocol in time to start on Sunday. However, the injury report is a bit longer, with multiple other Giants starters being ruled out while others are questionable.
Giants Will Be Down Multiple Key Defensive Starters
Per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, cornerback Paulson Adebo, and tight end Thomas Fidone (foot) will be out for Sunday’s contest against the Lions.
Thibodeaux is missing his second straight game with a shoulder injury, while Adebo is missing his fifth straight game with a knee injury. Having both players out is a big hit to the Giants’ defense, which is struggling across nearly every major defensive metric there is.
The defensive line will have to rely on Dexter Lawrence to steady the interior, while Brian Burns will look to continue his DPOY-worthy season. Third overall draft pick Abdul Carter will need to step up as the other starting edge rusher with Thibodeaux absent once again.
In the secondary, Adebo is not the only starter who might be unavailable. Nickel cornerback Deonte Banks is questionable with a knee injury, while safety Tyler Nubin is questionable due to a neck injury. Banks is playing a lot more time on special teams, as he has made quite the impact as a kick returner despite struggling mightily on defense.
If they cannot go, backups, including left cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse, slot corner Dru Phillips, and safety Dane Belton, will be called into action as the last line of defense against the Lions.
Offense May See Return of Several Skill Players
Although rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and fellow 2025 draft pick Thomas Fidone will be out on Sunday, other key skill players may be making their return to the gridiron against Detroit.
Darius Slayton has not received an injury designation for Sunday’s game, as the receiver missed last week’s game against the Packers due to a hamstring injury he suffered in Chicago against the Bears. He previously missed games against the Eagles and Broncos because of a similar injury.
Having Slayton back in the lineup will be a big help to the Giants’ receiving core, which has been relying on Wan’Dale Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins to hold down the fort. Although both have performed well, Slayton is much more of an outside receiver, opening up the playbook for Mike Kafka and Jameis Winston.
In addition, running back Eric Gray could be making his return to game action this week. After Kafka announced that Gray’s practice window was being activated on Wednesday, the running back was a full participant in practice from Wednesday to Friday. Although he is listed as questionable on the injury report, he may be able to go on Sunday against Detroit.
With Cam Skattebo out for the season, the running back room has been thin, relying on Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary, who have stepped up in recent weeks. Adding a different flavor in Gray could throw the Lions’ defense off, especially given that they will not have any recent game film on him to study.
The Lions’ injury report also features a slew of starters either out or questionable, including tight end Sam LaPorta, who is likely done for the rest of the season after undergoing back surgery earlier this week.
However, the Giants will need to play their best football to pull the upset of the Lions, as New York has a litany of starters out and is a double-digit underdog in Detroit this Sunday.
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