The Lions are on the short list of teams that could lead the NFL in scoring and that naturally makes them a point of interest for fantasy football managers. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs are first-rounders, and the optimism trickles down throughout this offense.
Isaac TeSlaa was highlight-or-bust during his rookie season and while that was fun, it wasn’t too meaningful for us. Does that change in his second professional season?
Should I Draft Isaac TeSlaa in Fantasy Football?
Jared Goff has cleared 4,400 passing yards in four consecutive seasons, a trend that feels more likely than not to continue through this season given the talent at his disposal. He’s not a threat to pick up yards with his legs and that naturally opens up room for his pass catchers to thrive.
TeSlaa is a 6’4” pure athlete, and the Lions used him as such. He was only able to earn 27 targets while appearing in all 17 games and under normal circumstances, that wouldn’t result in him being anywhere close to our radar.
START PREPARING: PFN’s FREE Fantasy Draft Simulator
But he scored on six of the 16 looks he brought in. That gives him one more touchdown as a pro than he had in two seasons at Arkansas and this size/speed profile is tempting at the highest of levels when you consider the offensive atmosphere that he is a part of.
I’d love to pencil in Year 2 growth for TeSlaa, but nothing has changed in Detroit to suggest that such an opportunity is going to present itself. St. Brown is a good bet for another season with triple-digit receptions, Jameson Williams is aiming for a third consecutive 1,000-yard season, and Sam LaPorta is looking to bounce back from a season that was plagued by injuries.
David Montgomery left town, but that’s unlikely to impact TeSlaa in any way. This profile is essentially all contingent value, and there’s a place and time for that on your roster.
FANTASY RANKINGS: PFN’s FREE Fantasy PPR, Half-PPR, and Non-PPR Rankings
Personally, I target players like that once we get past the first month of the season and start to venture into bye weeks. You’re never going to feel great about plugging in TeSlaa in a week given that we haven’t seen him earn looks at the professional level yet, but if a role opens up, at least the route count could provide something of a security blanket.
Consider this a player to watch from a distance. We can’t project injuries and that’s effectively what it’ll take to make this 24-year-old to truly matter in our world. Track, but don’t draft.
Kyle Soppe’s WR Fantasy Rankings 2026
- Ja’Marr Chase | CIN
- Puka Nacua | LAR
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA
- Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET
- Nico Collins | HOU
- Drake London | ATL
- A.J. Brown | NE
- Justin Jefferson | MIN
- CeeDee Lamb | DAL
- Malik Nabers | NYG
- George Pickens | DAL
- Rashee Rice | KC
- Zay Flowers | BAL
- Jaylen Waddle | DEN
- Chris Olave | NO
- Ladd McConkey | LAC
- Tee Higgins | CIN
- Emeka Egbuka | TB
- DeVonta Smith | PHI
- Tetairoa McMillan | CAR
- Luther Burden III | CHI
- Terry McLaurin | WAS
- Garrett Wilson | NYJ
- Christian Watson | GB
- Jameson Williams | DET
- Rome Odunze | CHI
- Jakobi Meyers | JAX
- Michael Wilson | ARI
- Carnell Tate | TEN
- Parker Washington | JAX
- DJ Moore | BUF
- Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI
- DK Metcalf | PIT
- Brian Thomas Jr. | JAX
- Quentin Johnston | LAC
- Davante Adams | LAR
- Stefon Diggs | WAS
- Jayden Reed | GB
- Josh Downs | IND
- Alec Pierce | IND
- Courtland Sutton | DEN
- Mike Evans | SF
- Michael Pittman Jr. | PIT
- Matthew Golden | GB
- Khalil Shakir | BUF
- Wan’Dale Robinson | TEN
- Rashid Shaheed | SEA
- Jordyn Tyson | NO
- Makai Lemon | PHI
- Romeo Doubs | NE
