Kalif Raymond posts three empty receptions

Raymond has now led the Bears in receiving in two of the team’s first three games, with Week 3 his best performance yet on the back of a 41-yard touchdown through busted coverage. It isn’t likely the career role player will lead the team in receiving throughout the season, but the early returns on investment must have fantasy managers ecstatic for those that either drafted him in the final round or scooped him off the wire following Week 1.

For whatever reason, Raymond again lead the Bears’ receiver corps in production, though Luther Burden did out-target him on fewer snaps. Cold comfort. Although Raymond out-snapped Burden, he was on the field 16 fewer plays than Rome Odunze. Pro Football Focus’ Nathan Jahnke charted Raymond as seeing more time in “12" personnel than his sophomore teammate. We would like to say this is bound to change going forward, but coach Ben Johnson had no problem featuring veteran Olamide Zaccheaus in 2025. Raymond is struggling to create WR4 value of his own, but he is certainly hampering Burden and Odunze’s production ahead of Week 3 against the Eagles.

Raymond, who ran a route on 23 of 40 Caleb Williams drop backs, led the Bears in targets, catches, and receiving yards, while Colston Loveland went catchless and Luther Burden was an afterthought. Raymond’s route participation suggests he’ll be a rotational player in the run-first Chicago offense. That should make him a risky option in any sort of fantasy league. Even so, it’s clear Raymond has taken something similar to the D.J. Moore role and could be useful in fantasy this year.

Per Hammond, Odunze “came up hobbling during an install period at the start of practice,” with what appeared to be a right leg injury. Apparently, Odunze “wasn’t overly concerned” and tried to continue practicing, but Bears trainers removed him from the field. That last bit is encouraging. Hopefully, Odunze’s Week 1 availability has not been jeopardized. Bears TE Colston Loveland and WR Luther Burden would benefit if Odunze cannot play. Odunze is backed up by WR Kalif Raymond.

Jahdae Walker could position himself as the No. 3 with a second-year jump, and third-round pick Zavion Thomas is also in the mix. This room will probably split the snaps enough to make them unappealing from a fantasy perspective, but it’s possible someone emerges as a WR4-type.

Raymond was mostly a role player and a special teams standout during his five years in Detroit. Last season Raymond had 24 receptions for 289 yards and a touchdown while drawing three starts for the run-heavy Lions. In Chicago, Raymond — entering his age-32 season — will likely function as a role player in Ben Johnson’s run-centric offense. He could see starter’s snaps if the Bears struggle with receiver injuries in 2026.

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.

Raymond and Isaac TeSlaa split the No. 3 role this week. Both players topped 50 yards and scored. TeSlaa did so on seven targets compared to five for Raymond. Jared Goff compiled 364 yards in a failed comeback bid, allowing multiple ancillary pieces to get home this week. That shouldn’t be the case next week. We don’t recommend starting Raymond or TeSlaa in the fantasy football finals.

He was actually shut out until the fourth quarter, as only three Lions even were targeted up until that point. Isaac TeSlaa (39 snaps) received a clear plurality of the third receiver cardio, but bageled on one target. The Lions have done a great job concentrating things on the main pieces and neither Raymond nor TeSlaa are must-starts if they can’t get anywhere close to “there” when the team scores 34 points.

Raymond will cut in to Isaac TeSlaa’s fantasy upside. TE Shane Zylstra (knee), RB Sione Vaki (thumb), and OL Taylor Decker (shoulder) are all playing off the questionable line as well. G Kayode Awosika (foot) is out off the questionable line. Also inactive for the Lions are: S Thomas Harper, S Kerby Joseph, DL Tyler Lacy, WR Dominic Lovett, CB Nick Whiteside and DL Mekhi Wingo.