With their playoff chances officially over, the Detroit Lions don’t have much to play for in their Week 18 matchup with the Chicago Bears. Any hopes of making Sunday meaningful vanished with a Christmas loss to the Minnesota Vikings, and all that’s left to do is for the Lions to play their final game and head into an offseason filled with questions.
One of those questions is what to make of Isaac TeSlaa’s rookie season. The Lions' third-round wide receiver was one of the more surprising selections in this year’s draft, and general manager Brad Holmes’ favorite receiver hasn’t posted a high level of production with 15 catches for 221 yards and six touchdowns in his first 16 games.
While many Lions may have their minds on somewhere warmer than Chicago entering Week 18, it’s an important opportunity for TeSlaa, who could put something on tape and set himself up for a larger role in 2026.
Week 18 Could Be Isaac TeSlaa’s Long-Awaited Breakout
Like most of the season, the Lions enter their regular-season finale banged up. Most of the impactful injuries have happened on defense and the offensive line, but that doesn’t include some of the players who have played through ailments over the final months of the season.
A player who could use Week 18 off is receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. St. Brown suffered an ankle injury during a Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers, and while he hasn’t missed time with the injury and remained productive with 31 catches for 378 yards and a pair of touchdowns over his last four games, it may not make sense to trot him back out there and risk aggravating it ahead of the offseason.
If that plays out, it could give TeSlaa the opportunity he hasn’t received all year. The Arkansas product was an intriguing prospect in April’s draft due to his 6-foot-2, 214-pound frame and 9.97 relative athletic score (h/t @MathBomb), but his limited production in college (62 catches, 896 yards, 5 TD over two seasons) made it a risky bet when the Lions traded up a full round to get him.
TeSlaa’s learning curve has been steep, but he’s shown flashes with limited opportunities. Beginning with the Thanksgiving loss to the Packers, TeSlaa has caught 11 passes for 156 yards and four touchdowns over the past five games, including a leaping touchdown grab in last week’s loss to the Vikings that showed off his 39.5-inch vertical jump at last year’s scouting combine. While the grab was a highlight, it also may have made a case for a bigger role next season.
No. 1 tight end Sam LaPorta’s back injury was the beginning of the end for the Lions and took away a key pass catcher from the offense that could be slow to start next year. Kalif Raymond is also a pending free agent, opening up a chance for TeSlaa to get his snaps if he leaves next offseason. Williams and St. Brown will be back; however, having one more deep threat could get the Lions back to their Ben Johnson levels and perhaps inspire a turnaround next fall.
That might only happen if TeSlaa gets a big opportunity in Week 18. With little to play for, the first-year playmaker has every reason to get up for this game, and it could be the difference between spending another season mothballed and getting a considerable spike in playing time in 2026.