TeSlaa does some wind sprinting in Week 1

Jared Goff gave TeSlaa two chances to contribute today. The first was a 3rd-and-13 pass on the Lions’ second drive, just beyond the sticks, in which TeSlaa went aerial and fully horizontal, trying to make the diving catch. The pass, unfortunately, fell incomplete. Goff went back to him on the fifth drive, firing a pass — just a touch too high — to the second-year wide receiver who was wide open on a crossing route, racing across the back of the end zone. TeSlaa leapt for it and got a hand on it, but he couldn’t come down with it. TeSlaa takes his goose egg into the Lions’ Week 6 bye. With any luck, it hatches into a FLEX-relevant stat line against the Packers in Week 7, though he remains a boom-bust pass catcher.

TeSlaa led the Lions in receiving on the back of a 49-yard grab late in the game. He was otherwise an afterthought in the offense, finishing the game with a nine percent target share. TeSlaa is averaging three targets per game, which simply isn’t enough to get him into the FLEX mix. He is buried in the WR6/7 range headed into Week 4.

Even after TeSlaa’s training camp struggles extended into the Lions’ first preseason game, Detroit doesn’t seem worried about the 24-year-old receiver. TeSlaa had his first target go through his hands and off his helmet for an interception and later couldn’t hang on to a fourth down pass in the loss to the Bengals on Thursday. Still, his only competitor for the WR3 role is Greg Dortch, a journeyman receiver who also failed to catch a pass in the first preseason game. The Lions WR3 isn’t likely to be a fantasy-relevant role when everyone else in the offense is healthy, but Detroit would still like to see more development from their third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Lions’ established starters did not play. Lions WR Greg Dortch could be challenging TeSlaa’s WR3 role, although Dortch went 0-for-1 as a receiver as well. TeSlaa out-snapped him 15-7 on the first three drives. TeSlaa took two more snaps on the fourth drive, sans Dortch, which ended in a turnover. This is a position battle to keep an eye on.

We weren’t expecting a major target share for TeSlaa anyway in this offense, and he makes his living making contested catches, but it’s still a little disappointing that he hasn’t taken more of a step forward from his rookie season so far. TeSlaa is probably only a consideration in deeper leagues at this time.

TeSlaa looks to be penciled into the three-wide set next to Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown. It’s hard to understand how TeSlaa will generate much in the way of targets — he sure didn’t last year when he was on the field — but the Lions could have a good enough offense that TeSlaa finds his way on the WR4 radar this year either way. TeSlaa notched six touchdowns on 27 targets last year.

TeSlaa played sparingly for most of the season until Kalif Raymond started dealing with an ankle injury near Thanksgiving. TeSlaa’s numbers boomed to an average of 44 snaps a game for the rest of the season. The target rate wasn’t exactly fantasy-friendly, but TeSlaa managed six touchdowns on just 27 targets last year and figures to be an interesting fantasy football player in 2026, if not a downright useful one.

TeSlaa emerged as a primary option for the Lions in Week 13 after Amon-Ra St. Brown departed with injury, finishing off the back half of his rookie season as the clear WR3 for the Lions. That effectively shifted Kalif Raymond into a situational role, something likely to carry forward into the 2026 season. TeSlaa ends his rookie year with 16 catches for 239 yards, flashing abilities in the red zone through six touchdowns. Although unlikely to immediately see his role grow while playing alongside St. Brown and Jameson Williams, TeSlaa appears likely to step into a bigger role when one of the main receivers goes down. That gives him legitimate best ball upside considering he will be playing for an offense that has finished in the top five in scoring in each of the previous four seasons.

TeSlaa made another impressive leaping effort for a touchdown in the first half in the red zone for the only touchdown of the game for Detroit. The rookie’s athleticism is obvious. His fit in the offense is a little more questionable. TeSlaa could get a chance to show out in a game without playoff ramifications against the Bears in Week 18.

TeSlaa’s touchdown grab this week was relatively routine for his lofty standards. He climbed that ladder on a hole shot into the end zone and was spun around by a collision with multiple defenders. For most players, it would have been an incredible addition to the highlight reel. It was just another Sunday for TeSlaa. The rookie is up to five touchdown grabs on the year. Incredibly, the seven targets equaled TeSlaa’s last month of work in the box score. He will be a boom/bust WR6 for his Week 17 date with the Vikings.