RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 22: Luke Altmyer #2 of the Detroit Lions looks to pass the ball during the fourth quarter of a preseason game against the Washington Commanders at Ford Field on August 22, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this week, we published our latest SB Nation Reacts survey, sponsored by the folks at FanDuel Sportsbook , and asked Detroit Lions fans: Which Lions QB is the favorite for the backup job heading into the preseason finale?
The battle for QB2 on the Lions’ 2026 roster could come down to the final moments of the offseason, making it one of the highlights of the preseason finale . Once Teddy Bridgewater elected to retire, undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer stepped into the QB2 role and has been competing with veteran Josh Dobbs over the past three weeks. Historically, the Lions have heavily favored a veteran in the QB2 role, but coach Dan Campbell insists that the team is keeping all options open in this battle.
“I mean, you would like that because those guys have played; there are real reps,” Campbell said of leaning on a veteran QB2 in the past. “They’ve been under real fire in real football games, and that is important. But that’s not the end-all, be-all, either. If you think there’s somebody to work with here and that he’s shown enough progress and he’s only going to get better, then we don’t close our eyes to that either.”
So, will the Lions stick with their historical preference and run with Dobbs? Or, has Altmyer shown enough upside to convince Campbell he’s ready? According to the majority of Lions fans, Altmyer’s progress and upside are warranted and make him the favorite for the job entering the preseason finale.
If Altmyer is indeed the favorite for the QB2 job, he’ll need to meet Campbell’s expectations in the preseason finale:
“Consistency. Just play good, smart football,” Campbell said of what Altmyer needs to show against the Colts. “We don’t need some wild throws, whatever. Be able to run the offense, be efficient, make smart decisions, even if that means that you’re punting the ball. That’ll be the most important thing. We don’t want the wild plays, and then there’s an ill-advised throw across the middle for an interception—those won’t get it done. So just be smart, take what’s there, run the offense and that’ll go a long way.”
Let’s take a closer look at the comment section of our original article and The Feed post to see fans’ explanations for their selection (lightly edited for clarity). NOTE: There were a lot of comments supporting Dobbs, but the comments below only reflect those of the winner of the poll.
Cmonman14 (via the FEED) : “I hope it’s Altmyer, he will have to clear waivers to end up on practice squad, and another team might pluck him. I’m impressed with him so far, and imo he has a much higher ceiling than Dobbs.”
TomRem .: “… I would much rather see Altmeyer backup Goff, even though Dobbs might be better in Goff’s ear to tell him what he sees from the sideline.”
LifetimecubsandLionsfan : “I say, Altmeyer. I realize he’s young and inexperienced, but he has a ton of heart and toughness. And grit. He worked his ass off in Champaign and got progressively better while not giving up who he is as a QB. I know that Dobbs is a more proven commodity, and I do understand the argument for him, but I just like Altmeyer in the backup role learning from Goff for the future.”
While this comment isn’t Pro-Altmyer, it’s certainly a solid argument against Dobbs:
FeelTheBern2020 : “Dobbs was signed August 9th. No team signed him all summer, and it’s not like he’s proving everyone wrong with his preseason play. Barring an exceptional performance this weekend, I’d be shocked if another team even goes after him for their practice squad, let alone 53.”
As a reminder, this survey was sponsored by the folks over at FanDuel Sportsbook , who currently have the Lions listed as +1700 to win this year’s Super Bowl, +850 to win the NFC Championship, and +155 to win the NFC North as the current favorites.
Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Detroit Lions fans and fans across the country. If you want to receive these surveys by email weekly, you can sign up here .
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