Start Brian Thomas Jr. or Isaac TeSlaa? Week 8

Updated Oct 27, 1:26 PM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 9 answer posts Tuesday.

Start Isaac TeSlaa over Brian Thomas Jr.

Start

Isaac TeSlaa

WR · DET · vs MIN

Market projects: 5.8; recent weeks avg
MIN D vs WR: 25.3; 4th fewest to WRs (2026)
Upside: Limited; 16 of 100 at WR
Snap share: 60%; Through Week 7
Target share: 10%; Through Week 7

Sit

Brian Thomas Jr.

WR · JAX · vs IND

Market projects: 4.7; recent weeks avg
IND D vs WR: 29.0; 8th fewest to WRs (2026)
Upside: Limited; 31 of 100 at WR

Should I drop Isaac TeSlaa for Brian Thomas Jr.?

Yes, on the rest of the season. Brian Thomas Jr. projects 67 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.7 a game over 10 games), Isaac TeSlaa 58 (5.8 a game over 10 games). For Week 8 the call starts Isaac TeSlaa over Brian Thomas Jr. So make the move after his Week 8 game.

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Our Week 8 call

Start Isaac TeSlaa over Brian Thomas Jr. in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Isaac TeSlaa at 5.8 points and Brian Thomas Jr. at 4.7, a gap of 1.1. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Isaac TeSlaa this week yet, so his 5.8 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5 and 7 (6.1 and 5.5); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Brian Thomas Jr. this week yet, so his 4.7 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5 and 6 (5.1 and 4.4); the call is rebuilt when his market posts.

What the market projects

No Week 8 player market is posted for Isaac TeSlaa yet. His market-based projections were 6.1 and 5.5 points in Weeks 5 and 7, an average of 5.8, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

The market-based projection for Isaac TeSlaa is 0.2 touchdowns (12 market sources).

No Week 8 player market is posted for Brian Thomas Jr. yet. His market-based projections were 5.1 and 4.4 points in Weeks 5 and 6, an average of 4.7, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

That puts Isaac TeSlaa 1.1 points ahead of Brian Thomas Jr. on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

Isaac TeSlaa and DET host MIN on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

MIN allowed 25.3 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 4th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 124 yards and 0-1 touchdowns a game against MIN.

Brian Thomas Jr. and JAX host IND on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

IND allowed 29.0 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 8th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 142 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game against IND.

By points allowed to the position, Brian Thomas Jr. has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Isaac TeSlaa is not on the injury report.

Brian Thomas Jr. is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Isaac TeSlaa played 60 percent of DET snaps, drew 10 percent of the targets, earned 15 percent of the air yards and had 6 percent of the red zone chances.

Isaac TeSlaa, Week 3 against NYJ: 31 of 65 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 66 yards.

Isaac TeSlaa, Week 4 against CAR: 58 of 71 snaps, 8 targets and 4 catches for 95 yards.

Isaac TeSlaa, Week 5 against ARI: 26 of 66 snaps, 2 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Isaac TeSlaa, Week 7 against GB: 33 of 68 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 10 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Isaac TeSlaa played 17 games for DET and scored 75.9 PPR points, 4.5 a game, finishing WR82.

He caught 16 of 27 targets for 239 yards and 6 touchdowns, with 10 red zone targets and 184 air yards.

He was on the field for 38 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Brian Thomas Jr. played 14 games for JAX and scored 138.8 PPR points, 9.9 a game, finishing WR42.

He caught 48 of 91 targets for 707 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 6 red zone targets and 548 air yards.

He was on the field for 79 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Brian Thomas Jr., Week 18 of 2025 against TEN: 5 targets and 3 catches for 49 yards, 7.9 PPR points.

Brian Thomas Jr., Week 17 of 2025 against IND: 54 of 69 snaps, 7 targets and 4 catches for 39 yards, 7.9 PPR points.

Brian Thomas Jr., Week 16 of 2025 against DEN: 51 of 70 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 18 yards, 3.8 PPR points.

Their other Week 8 calls

Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 8, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.

Drop or keep

Should I drop Isaac TeSlaa for Brian Thomas Jr.?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Brian Thomas Jr. projects 67 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.7 a game over 10 games), Isaac TeSlaa 58 (5.8 a game over 10 games). For Week 8 the call starts Isaac TeSlaa over Brian Thomas Jr. So make the move after his Week 8 game.
Should I drop Brian Thomas Jr. for Isaac TeSlaa?
No. Keep Brian Thomas Jr.: he projects 67 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.7 a game over 10 games), Isaac TeSlaa 58 (5.8 a game over 10 games). For Week 8 the call starts Isaac TeSlaa over Brian Thomas Jr.