The Detroit Lions entered the 2025 season with one of the most intriguing young players in this class. Isaac TeSlaa turned plenty of heads in the preseason, and his otherworldly athleticism made him a strong sleeper candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
TeSlaa, however, was more of an afterthought and a package player under former offensive coordinator John Morton. It wasn't his fault, and he certainly made the most of his limited opportunities, but he didn't live up to the hype.
That's why, now that he has a full year of NFL experience under his belt and Drew Petzing has taken the reins of the offense, things might be entirely different for him in year two. Once again, he's a breakout candidate.
Isaac TeSlaa Could Turn Plenty of Heads in 2026
For years, the Lions have waited for Jameson Williams to become a superstar. He's a very good, very talented, and very fast player. He's coming off a solid season, but maturity and consistency have never been his main traits.
Considering that, it wouldn't be crazy to see TeSlaa steadily climb his way up the pecking order. Even if Sam LaPorta is healthy and Petzing uses him like he used Trey McBride in Arizona, TeSlaa's athleticism, ability to make adjustments mid-air, and knack for dominating in the end zone make him just too good to ignore.
As a rookie, TeSlaa ran a grand total of 296 routes, per Pro Football Focus. Those 296 routes turned into 26 targets and 16 receptions for 239 yards. Notably, six of those 16 receptions went for six points, an absurd TD percentage of 37.5 percent. Of course, that's obviously unsustainable, but it also speaks volumes about his ability to stay even-keeled, focused, and finish the job when it matters the most.
TesLaa averaged 14.9 yards per catch, the second-most on the team behind Williams (17.2). He was also second on the team in yards per touch (14.9), and even though he averaged fewer yards after the catch than Williams (3.4 to 6.9), he had a longer average depth of target (14.8) than his teammate (12.7).
It's hard to blame TeSlaa for not being involved in the game as much as the fans would've wanted him to; that's just the way it goes for rookies at times. That being said, there's no reason not to make him a focal part of the offense after he showed glimpses of greatness in year one.
All in all, the Lions had the fourth-highest scoring offense in the league (28.3) and averaged the third-most passing yards per game (253.1), even if that didn't always translate into wins. Now, with TeSlaa taking a leap in year two and giving Goff another reliable playmaker and deep-ball specialist, the Lions could be one of the most entertaining teams to watch in 2026.
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