The Detroit Lions are gearing up to host the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on Sunday, looking to ride the momentum from their 24–9 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And it looks like the football gods are smiling on Dan Campbell’s squad, with some encouraging injury updates rolling in as the team prepares for another big NFC North clash.

Detroit’s running game, already one of the league’s most dynamic with quarterback Jared Goff, RB David Montgomery, and Jahmyr Gibbs, might be getting another weapon back. Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed that running back Sione Vaki is trending toward returning to action. According to team insider Dannie Rogers, Campbell said he’s “very hopeful” Vaki will be good to go this weekend.

It’s been a while since Lions fans have seen Vaki on the field. He’s been sidelined since Week 3 after suffering a groin injury against the Baltimore Ravens, and with Detroit’s running game clicking well, it’s been easy to forget he’s part of the mix. But he practiced on Monday and is expected to continue through the week. Seems likely that he’ll suit up this week.

“Vaki practiced yesterday. He’s going to practice today. He’s going to practice [on] Thursday after the day off,” Campbell said. “So we’re hopeful. He looked good. He looks good right now, and hopefully we can get him to the game. That’s the plan.”

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Vaki played in 16 games last season, missing just one due to a knee issue. This year, though, he’s barely seen the field. He ended up sitting out he first two games with a hamstring injury before going down against the Ravens. Even in limited snaps, he made an impact on special teams, notching a solid tackle on one of his seven plays before exiting.

And this could be a good week for him to make his return. The Vikings’ run defense has been anything but stingy, giving up an average of 130.4 yards per game. That could spell a big day for quarterback Jared Goff, Gibbs, Montgomery, and hopefully Vaki.

Even if Campbell keeps his workload light, there’s a chance he could see some time as a kick returner, especially with Craig Reynolds still nursing a hamstring issue. And this wasn’t Dan Campbell’s only update.

Dan Campbell’s update on Marcus Davenport

Defensive end Marcus Davenport might not be too far behind on the comeback trail either. Since the start of the 2024 season, Davenport has only managed to appear in four of a possible 24 games, but Campbell sounded optimistic about his progress.

“Nothing new on Davenport. He is improving, but I can’t give you a definitive ‘this is when he’s going to be back.’ I’m just very confident he is going to be back. We’re going to get him back here,” Campbell said. The timeline remains vague. “Soon” could mean next week or next month, but at least we know that he’s inching closer to making his return.

The Lions have had to make do with a patchwork defensive line all year. Josh Paschal has been on the non-football injury list, while Davenport’s been sidelined since straining his pectoral muscle in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears. In his absence, Detroit has leaned on a rotation featuring Al-Quadin Muhammad, Tyler Lacy, and Pat O’Connor.

Muhammad and Lacy have handled most of the snaps opposite Aidan Hutchinson, and to their credit, they’ve held their own. Muhammad, who missed Tuesday’s open practice session, has already recorded five sacks. Still, getting Davenport back could give this defensive front a fresh spark, adding both depth and veteran presence to a group that’s been grinding through setbacks.