Dwain McFarland views Isaac Teslaa as a no-risk, late-round lottery ticket whose path to relevance hinges on Detroit’s health. The rookie-super-model “didn’t really like him,” but McFarland keeps circling back because the Lions paid a real price (swapped 2025 thirds and sent two additional future thirds) immediately after trading Tim Patrick, signaling conviction in Tesla’s skill set. Teslaa flashed all preseason and should inherit the old Marvin Jones situational deep-shot role at minimum. McFarland thinks Teslaa becomes a borderline WR2 for a multi-week stretch if either Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jameson Williams misses time—an outcome squarely in play given both players’ recent injury histories. If the starters stay healthy all year, Teslaa probably delivers unpredictable spike weeks best parked on Best-Ball rosters. At an ADP so low “it doesn’t really matter,” McFarland is happy to click his name as an inexpensive contingency bet in Season-Long or Best-Ball formats.

Marcas Grant advised keeping Isaac TeSlaa on watch lists because Detroit’s coaching staff is raving about the third-rounder’s physical style. GM Brad Holmes compared the rookie’s blocking tenacity to Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Grant argued that willingness to do dirty work is often how young receivers carve out snaps in Ben Johnson’s offense. TeSlaa was only the No. 3 option in a middling Arkansas passing game last year, so he’ll need injuries or packages to earn volume in a crowded room that already features St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Sam LaPorta. Still, Grant believes TeSlaa’s role in the run game could get him on the field early, making him a viable deep bench stash in larger formats.

Ian Hartitz urged gamers not to ignore Isaac TeSlaa’s ridiculous combination of talent, investment, and preseason production. The 6'3" 214-pound wideout posted the 11th-best Relative Athletic Score out of 3,441 WRs since 1987, and Detroit traded three third-rounders to secure him on Day 2. TeSlaa turned 13 preseason targets into 10-146-3, even breaking out a worm celebration on a 33-yard TD. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs will still funnel most targets, and veteran Tim Patrick could open in three-WR sets, but Hartitz said TeSlaa has already checked every early career box and is exactly the type of explosive late-round lottery ticket you want on your fantasy team.

Dwain McFarland predicted Isaac TeSlaa could pass Tim Patrick on the Detroit depth chart as early as Week 1, labeling TeSlaa his favorite late-round wide receiver in deep leagues. That immediate playing-time path makes TeSlaa a priority end-game dart for managers hunting wide-receiver upside.

Allen noted Isaac TeSlaa has been the standout of Lions camp and is already drawing calls to leapfrog Tim Patrick as Detroit’s WR3. The big-play rookie’s ADP has climbed 31.9 spots, yet Allen reminds managers that Detroit ran three-wide sets at the ninth-lowest rate in 2024 and Jared Goff threw in the red zone at the sixth-lowest rate. Still, with Detroit potentially tweaking the passing game to compensate for offensive-line injuries, Allen believes TeSlaa’s splash-play profile makes him an appealing bench/FLEX stash for drafters willing to absorb the usage volatility.

Matthew Freedman called Isaac TeSlaa a screaming buy at an FFPC ADP of 287.5 after Detroit traded up in Round 3 and watched him post 8-105-2 on 11 preseason targets. With a shaky veteran depth chart ahead of him, Freedman thinks TeSlaa could force his way into the starting lineup early.

Dwain McFarland said Isaac TeSlaa is his favorite deep-league dart after another eye-opening preseason showing. The former small-school star played 100% of Kyle Allen’s first-half snaps, drew a team-high 29% target share, and capped it with a back-shoulder TD. McFarland highlighted the Lions’ conviction—trading two 2026 third-rounders to move up for TeSlaa—plus steady camp buzz and production in both preseason games. With Tim Patrick still limited and Jameson Williams suspended to open the season, McFarland believes TeSlaa can leap Patrick for perimeter snaps as soon as Week 1, making him a must-stash in the final rounds of Season-Long and Best-Ball drafts.

Davis Mattek said Isaac TeSlaa is worth scooping off the end of fantasy benches now rather than blowing 50% of FAAB in Week 2. Detroit invested a third-round pick plus a future third in a receiver who managed only 29 catches in his final Arkansas season yet posted a 10-RAS testing profile and specializes in true field-stretching. After Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Sam LaPorta the Lions’ pass-catcher depth falls to Tim Patrick and Khalif Raymond, so the opportunity tree is surprisingly open. Mattek argued that the NFL currently has a shortage of players who can actually house a 60-yard touchdown, making any prospect with that trait disproportionately valuable even if he begins the year as a healthy scratch. He views TeSlaa as a structural upside dart in Best Ball and a proactive stash in Season-Long formats where guessing the one or two spike weeks will be difficult once waivers hit.

Pete Overzet called Isaac TeSlaa a perfectly acceptable Round-17/18 dart throw because Detroit’s offense is too efficient to ignore any cheap pass-catcher who might climb the depth chart. He pointed out that Jameson Williams continues to give off "weird vibes," leaving only Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond between TeSlaa and meaningful snaps. The Lions ranked top-5 in EPA per play and red-zone pass rate last year, so even a part-time role could translate into usable spike weeks. Overzet noted the team traded up to bring TeSlaa in and that the rookie’s contested-catch profile meshes with Jared Goff’s tendency to target big bodies near the goal line (David Montgomery saw 38 red-zone carries, Sam LaPorta 26 red-zone targets). Bottom line: with little blocking his path and Detroit projected for another season of offensive fireworks, TeSlaa offers asymmetric playoff upside at virtually no opportunity cost.

Hayden Winks said undrafted rookie Isaac TeSlaa is the one Lions wide-out he’s willing to fire late-round bullets on. Winks noted Detroit’s outside-receiver depth chart is paper thin behind Jameson Williams, creating a clear snap path if the team keeps Amon-Ra St. Brown locked into the slot. TeSlaa brings a rare slot-to-perimeter profile—6'2", 215 with plus athletic testing—after handling interior duties in college. Although the 23-year-old logged only 28 collegiate receptions, Winks thinks the size/speed combo gives him a legitimate chance to win an outside job in camp and become the low-cost way to get exposure to Ben Johnson’s high-TD offense. Winks called him a classic Best Ball Mania dart: cheap, unblocked contingent upside on a top-five scoring unit.

Andy Holloway touted Isaac TeSlaa as the ideal late-round rookie draft lottery ticket. Detroit traded two future third-round picks to snag the 6-4, 214-pound receiver after he blazed a 4.30 forty, giving him a 99th-percentile speed score. Although TeSlaa never topped 600 yards at Arkansas and posted a microscopic 13.4 % targets-per-route rate—the lowest for any Day-1/2 wideout in the last 11 drafts—Holloway trusts Brad Holmes’ evaluation track record and pointed to Dan Campbell’s emphasis on size/speed mismatches. With no long-term commitment to Jameson Williams and only depth behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Holloway sees a 2026 starting-X path if TeSlaa refines his route tree. He advised spending a late third-round rookie pick or a final best-ball slot on TeSlaa, comparing the bet to early shares of Terry McLaurin and Kenny Golladay before their breakouts.

Danny Kelly advised fading Isaac Tesla in rookie drafts and late-round best ball despite Detroit surrendering both of its 2025 third-round picks to snag him at No. 102. Kelly labeled the move a classic case of chasing raw athleticism—Tesla is a 96th-percentile size-speed tester—without the collegiate production to back it up. The former D-II transfer managed only 657 yards and three TDs in his lone SEC season, posted a sub-20 percent target share for his career, and turns 24 before Week 1. Kelly pointed out that since 2010 only two wideouts with sub-1.8 yards per route run and age 23 rookie seasons have produced a 1,000-yard NFL campaign. Detroit’s existing target tree funnels through Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, and Jameson Williams, leaving Tesla no better than fourth in line even if he develops. Kelly’s bottom line: bet on profiles that showed they could earn volume in college, let someone else chase the workout-warrior narrative, and reserve Tesla for nothing more than a watch-list stash in deep dynasty leagues.