RADIO
Dan Campbell "Not Concerned" About Jameson Williams' Drops
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams caught only four of his nine targets for 45 yards in the Week 1 season-opening win in overtime over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, adding three dropped passes. One of Williams' drops likely would have gone for a long touchdown against New Orleans. The Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett reports that head coach Dan Campbell said he is not concerned about Williams' drops to begin the 2026 season. The good news is that Williams led the Lions with 128 air yards and was second with a 23% target share, running a route on 37 of the team's 40 dropbacks during the game. The 25-year-old former first-rounder in 2022 from Ohio State does have a tendency to drop passes, but he is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in Detroit with 14 combined touchdowns in 2024 and 2025 during the regular season. In a game that could easily turn into a shootout on Thursday night to kick off Week 2 action, Williams should be locked into all starting fantasy lineups as he looks for his first touchdown of the year.
Source: Detroit Free Press - Dave Birkett
Source: Detroit Free Press - Dave Birkett
Lions Restructure Amon-Ra St. Brown's Deal
The Detroit Lions restructured the contracts of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and left tackle Penei Sewell on Saturday to create over $30 million in salary cap space, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. With St. Brown's restructure, $26 million of his salary was converted into a signing bonus, which created $20.8 million in cap space for the next two seasons. The 26-year-old has been a Pro Bowler in each of the last four seasons with the Lions, catching a ridiculous 457 of his 623 targets for 5,340 yards and 39 touchdowns in 66 regular-season starts. He has recorded 1,000 receiving yards in the last four seasons as well, while finding the end zone double-digit times in each of the last three years. St. Brown caught 117 of his 172 targets for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns in 17 starts in 2025, and he is one of the safest fantasy football wideouts in the league as he enters his sixth season in 2026 with a Week 1 matchup at home against the New Orleans Saints.
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Source: ESPN - Adam Schefter
Isaac TeSlaa a Risky Deep-League Wide Receiver Option in Week 1
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had a strange rookie season in 2025. The 24-year-old logged just 16 catches and 27 targets across 17 games, but he averaged 14.9 yards per reception and scored six touchdowns on his limited looks. As a big-bodied wideout with excellent contested-catch ability, TeSlaa profiles as a downfield and red zone weapon. However, it may remain difficult for him to see consistent target volume as long as Lions wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and tight end Sam LaPorta are healthy in 2026. In Week 1, TeSlaa and the Lions will host the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans featured a stingy pass defense last season, allowing the fifth-fewest total passing yards (3,336) and 12th-fewest yards per pass attempt (6.8) in the NFL. Detroit's offensive weapons around TeSlaa also enter the year fully healthy and ready to go. The second-year wideout carries some upside and is worth monitoring in deeper leagues, but fantasy managers should avoid starting TeSlaa in Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jameson Williams a High-Upside WR2 Option in Week 1
Across 17 games in 2025, Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams recorded 65 catches for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns on 102 targets. Williams got off to a slow start to the year, but he saw a significant uptick in target share after Lions tight end Sam LaPorta suffered a season-ending back injury in Week 10. LaPorta has returned heading into the 2026 season, which adds a layer of uncertainty to Williams' target outlook heading into the year. However, the 25-year-old drew positive reviews for his work in training camp, and his explosive ability down the field allows him to provide high-end fantasy production on a relatively low number of looks. In Week 1, Williams and the Lions will face a New Orleans Saints defense that allowed the fifth-fewest total passing yards (3,336) and 12th-fewest yards per pass attempt (6.8) in the NFL. Still, Williams should see his chances to make big plays in a Detroit passing game that forces defenses to protect against all areas of the field. Williams carries some risk, but he ultimately profiles as a solid WR2 option for fantasy managers in Week 1.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Amon-Ra St. Brown a Must-Start Wide Receiver in Week 1
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has established himself as one of the most reliable pass-catchers in the NFL, recording three consecutive seasons with at least 115 catches, 1,250 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. Entering 2026, St. Brown once again profiles to be the lead target-earner in a Lions passing game that projects to be a dangerous unit. In Week 1, Detroit will host the New Orleans Saints. The Saints fielded an underrated pass defense in 2025, allowing the fifth-fewest total passing yards (3,336) and 12th-fewest yards per pass attempt (6.8) in the NFL. However, the Lions' passing offense finished ranked third in total passing yards last season, and St. Brown projects as a strong bet to see 8-10 targets on Sunday. Heading into the season opener, St. Brown profiles as a high-end WR1 option for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Isaac TeSlaa Shouldn't Be Ignored in Deeper Leagues
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa has a better path to playing time than his rookie numbers would suggest. He caught only 16 passes for 239 yards last season, but six went for touchdowns, and Detroit enters Week 1 with just four receivers on the active roster. Greg Dortch was released, Kalif Raymond left in free agency, and general manager Brad Holmes said TeSlaa is stepping into the No. 3 job behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. The Lions also liked the progress he made as a route runner this summer. That does not make him a Week 1 starter. St. Brown, Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs are still going to command most of the touches, and RotoBaller has TeSlaa at WR71 for the opener against New Orleans. He is rostered in only 6% of Yahoo leagues and is best left for 14-team formats or deeper benches, where the new role is worth taking a shot on before we see what the target share looks like.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Isaac TeSlaa Still Has Lions' Trust After Quiet Summer
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had a rough summer, but the team isn't backing away from him. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said he is "not too concerned" about TeSlaa's camp and preseason. Detroit intentionally gave the second-year receiver more work against top cornerbacks, and he remains the No. 3 option behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. TeSlaa caught just 16 passes for 239 yards as a rookie, but six of those catches went for touchdowns. He also finished the year with eight receptions for 119 yards and two scores over the final three games. His preseason opener against Cincinnati was ugly, including a drop that turned into an interception, but Detroit hasn't let one uneven month change its plans. TeSlaa still has a bigger role waiting for him in Year 2.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Source: Detroit Free Press
Jameson Williams Could Lead Lions in Receiving
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams could emerge as the team's leading receiver this season, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN. Williams is coming off another big year, catching 65 passes for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns on 102 targets in 2025. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch and topped 1,000 yards for the second straight season. The Lions have spent the past few years asking Williams to become more than a downfield threat, and there were signs of that growth in camp. Jared Goff recently praised the nuance Williams has added to his route running, while new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has challenged him to play more physically. The obvious obstacle is Amon-Ra St. Brown, who drew 172 targets and finished with 1,401 receiving yards last year. Williams also led the NFL with 12 drops. Still, if Petzing can get him involved more consistently at every level of the field, a career year is firmly in play.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Isaac Teslaa has WR3 Job Locked Down in Detroit
It looks pretty obvious that Detroit Lions second-year wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa is locked into the WR3 role behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams going into the Week 1 regular-season opener in early September after the team cut Greg Dortch on Sunday to trim their roster down to 53 players. The 24-year-old third-rounder from Arkansas caught only 16 passes as a rookie for 239 yards, but he scored six touchdowns on 27 targets over 17 games played as a notable red-zone weapon for quarterback Jared Goff. With TeSlaa's role in the Lions' passing game likely to increase in his second year in the NFL, he should not be forgotten as a valuable late-round flier for touchdown upside. The 6-foot-4, 214-pounder could once again struggle for consistent targets as long as both St. Brown and Williams stay healthy, but with Dortch now cut and Kalif Raymond in Chicago, there is a path for TeSlaa to take a step forward as a sophomore in the NFL. RotoBaller has him ranked as the No. 69 fantasy wideout for the upcoming 2026 season.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
Amon-Ra St. Brown Ends Camp on a High Note
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown finished August about as well as he could have. He was already coming off 117 catches for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns on a career-high 172 targets, and nothing in camp suggested that volume is about to disappear. Tim Twentyman wrote on Aug. 15 that St. Brown looked better than he ever had and had been nearly impossible to cover. The strong finish kept coming. He turned a fourth-and-two catch from Jared Goff into a 32-yard touchdown on Aug. 26, then caught four passes on one late-camp drive the next day, including a 16-yard score. Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and Isaac TeSlaa will all get their share, so another 172 targets is no guarantee. St. Brown has been Detroit's steady answer anyway. RotoBaller currently has him as the WR4 for 2026, and his camp did nothing to loosen that grip. For a receiver already going in the first round, that's enough to count as a win.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Lions Release Wide Receiver Greg Dortch
The Detroit Lions have released wide receiver Greg Dortch as part of the process to get their active roster down to 53 players, according to Tom Pelissero of The Ringer. Dortch had spent the last five seasons in Arizona, peaking as the WR62 in PPR leagues during the 2022 season. His productivity had dipped in recent years, and he finished 2025 with just 29 catches, 206 yards, and three touchdowns across 12 games. He faced an uphill battle to make the Lions' roster and ultimately wasn't able to beat out any of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Isaac TeSlaa, or Tay Martin. The fact that Detroit is carrying just four receivers right now could leave the door open for Dortch to re-sign with the team before Week 1, but it seems unlikely after he caught just two passes for 22 yards during the preseason. He may have to settle for a practice squad spot somewhere else.
Source: Tom Pelissero
Source: Tom Pelissero
Isaac TeSlaa Solidifying His Late-Round Case
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa has strengthened his redraft case by locking down a bigger role entering his second season. TeSlaa caught only 16 of 27 targets for 239 yards as a rookie, but six of those receptions went for touchdowns and Detroit leaned on him much more late in the year. From Weeks 13 through 17, he drew 17 targets, played 67.3% of the offensive snaps, and scored four times. That late-season growth has carried into the summer. Lions camp reporting has consistently placed TeSlaa behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams as the No. 3 receiver, with Greg Dortch working behind him, and TeSlaa remained involved with Jared Goff during Thursday's final camp scrimmage, catching a 14-yard pass on the opening 99-yard touchdown drive. The target ceiling is still limited by St. Brown, Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs, and TeSlaa's rookie touchdown rate is unlikely to hold without more volume. Still, his role is clearly larger than it was a year ago. RotoBaller currently ranks him WR70, making him a worthwhile late-round swing in deeper redraft leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jameson Williams Showing More Than Big-Play Upside
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is finishing training camp looking more like a complete fantasy option than simply a big-play specialist. Williams set career highs with 65 catches for 1,117 yards and seven touchdowns on 102 targets last season, his second straight 1,000-yard campaign. His development this summer has gone beyond running past defensive backs. Jared Goff has praised Williams' improved feel for coverage and space, while Detroit's camp reports have highlighted him winning on comeback routes and working different levels of the field. That showed up again this week. Goff hit Williams for a deep touchdown during Wednesday's first-team work, then connected with him three times on Thursday's opening 99-yard scoring drive, including a fourth-down touchdown against tight coverage. Williams also appears past the minor shoulder issue that cost him two practices earlier this month. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, and Isaac TeSlaa will keep Detroit's targets spread around, so weekly volatility remains part of the profile. Still, Williams is entering Week 1 with a broader route tree and plenty of momentum. RotoBaller currently ranks him WR23 in half-PPR.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Amon-Ra St. Brown as Reliable as Ever
When the Detroit Lions have needed a clutch play or a key conversion in recent years, they have generally turned to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, and as pointed out by Lions senior writer Tim Twentyman, that was again the case during Wednesday's practice. In a fourth-and-two scenario during full-team work, St. Brown beat cornerback D.J. Reed with a nifty inside move and took a well-placed pass from Jared Goff for a 32-yard touchdown. The three-time All-Pro has become one of the most reliable receivers in the league, with that consistency translating to three straight WR3 fantasy finishes. Hitting at least 115 receptions in each of those seasons, St. Brown remains a safe bet to earn targets while his elite red zone usage has led to triple-digit touchdowns every year since 2023. Barring injury, few conceivable paths could lead the four-time Pro Bowler to finish outside the top-five at the position, and he is RotoBaller's WR4 for 2026.
Source: Tim Twentyman
Source: Tim Twentyman
Isaac TeSlaa is Shaky Option in Redraft Formats
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa is expected to have a larger role in the offense this upcoming season. The second-year wideout is currently competing with Greg Dortch for the third wideout spot on this roster. It sounds nice on paper, but whoever gets that role will get the scraps behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. The Lions also have tight end Sam LaPorta, who should be a significant part of the passing game as well. There are too many options on this offense for TeSlaa to have a steady role as a pass-catcher right now. The 24-year-old appears to be a viable red-zone target with six touchdowns last season. His role on the team should grow, but it'll likely be slowly, which makes him more of a dynasty stash than a weekly option in redraft formats.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
