Top Lions vs. Bills Player Props & Thursday Night Best Bets

A Week 1 Miss That Doesn't Change the Story

Wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa went catchless in Detroit's overtime win over New Orleans, but the box score there is misleading. He still ran 75% of the Lions' routes, which is the piece of this bet that actually matters. A receiver getting that kind of route share isn't disappearing from the game plan, he's just waiting on the ball to find him. With Kalif Raymond gone, TeSlaa stepped into meaningful WR3/X usage right away, and that role showed up in the routes run even when it didn't show up in the catches.

Match Details

Competition: 2026 NFL Regular Season

Week: 2

Location: Orchard Park, New York

Venue: New Highmark Stadium

Date: Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026

Time: 8:15 p.m. ET

The Game Script Sets Up Even Better This Week

Detroit heads into Buffalo as 4.5-point underdogs with a total sitting at 53.5, the kind of number that points toward a pass-heavy script for the Lions all night. Head coach Dan Campbell and quarterback Jared Goff are likely to be throwing often in a game they're not favored to control on the ground, and that's exactly the environment a secondary receiver like TeSlaa needs. Buffalo, for its part, just allowed 31 points to Houston in Week 1, and this looked like a defense that was already going to be below average before the season started. This situation alone fits the criteria for a top player prop wager on the Detroit Lions WR.

The Track Record Supports Positive Regression

TeSlaa saw just one target despite running 75% of Detroit's routes last week, which is the kind of gap that tends to correct itself. Going back to last season, in games where he played over 50% of the snaps, he averaged 31.2 receiving yards and 2.4 receptions per game. He isn't going to out-target Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jameson Williams, and he doesn't need to. At this number, one catch of real length gets it done.

The Best Bet

The usage was there even when the production wasn't, and now TeSlaa gets an unchanged line, a better game script, and a Buffalo defense that's shown real cracks. Making a Best Bet on over Isaac TeSlaa's receiving yards leans on the role showing up again rather than hoping for something new.