Inactives: RB Jamaal Williams, CB AJ Parker, TE Darren Fells OUT vs. Eagles

The Lions are missing some key starters this week.

The Detroit Lions have declared their inactives ahead of a Week 8 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at Ford Field in Detroit.

The Lions made a few roster moves this week. They opened the week by placing Logan Stenberg on injured reserve and signing practice squad guard UDFA rookie Tommy Kraemer to replace him. They also released CB Daryl Worthy and DL Eric Banks bringing the active roster to 51-players. On Saturday, they activated DL Da’Shawn Hand from injured reserve, elevated TE Brock Wright and S Jalen Elliott from the practice squad, thus bringing the roster up to 54-players.

Because the Lions have eight offensive linemen active for Sunday’s game, they are eligible to expand their game-day roster from 46 to 48 players. Therefore, with 54 players available and 48 eligible to play, the Lions need to declare six inactive for today’s matchup.

Here are those six players:

Lions inactives:

• RB Jamaal Williams (thigh)
• WR Geronimo Allison
• TE Darren Fells
• DL Jashon Cornell
• EDGE Jesse Lemonier
• NB AJ Parker (neck)

Williams’ thigh injury “kind of popped up last week”, per Campbell, and despite only being able to have limited practices, his inactive status is a bit surprising. Look for Jermar Jefferson to fill his role as RB2, but expect a heavy dose of D’Andre Swift today.

Fells is also a surprise inactive as he did not appears on the injury report at all this week. Last week, the Lions elevated tight end Brock Wright from the practice squad—and they did so again this week. After his game against the Rams, he got positive reviews from offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn.

“You know, Brock did some good things last week,” Lynn said this week. “He’s a technician. He’s just getting an opportunity right now and he’s showing us what he can do.”

Allison has apparently dropped to WR6 on the Lions roster—at least for this week—and after a two-target, no reception game against the Rams, it makes sense.

Jashon Cornell is scratched today as the Lions are deep on the defensive line after Da’Shawn Hand returned from injured reserve on Saturday.

Jesse Lemonier is EDGE5 on the Lions roster and, as typical, they only kept their top-4 EDGE rushers active on game day.

AJ Parker’s neck injury will keep him out of this game, which on paper, looks like a significant blow to the Lions’ secondary. Jerry Jacobs seems the most likely candidate to take over nickel duties.

Eagles inactives:

• CB Zech McPhearson (hamstring) —Ruled out on Friday
• S Anthony Harris (thumbs/groin)
• LB Eric Wilson
• CB Mac McCain
• C/G Jack Anderson
• G Sua Opeta
• QB Reid Sinnett