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Discussion: How much should Detroit Lions rookie WR Isaac TeSlaa play vs the Bears?

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa should see more playing time against the Bears. But, how much should he play?

Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit Lions rookie third-round receiver, didn’t play much last week, but he made a strong first impression. Despite just playing three offensive snaps against the Green Bay Packers, he produced one of the season’s highlights with an unbelievable one-handed touchdown grab.

So, why didn’t TeSlaa play more, especially since he was making plays during training camp and the preseason? Well, the answer is simple: he was unwell earlier this week.

“I think we really wanted to try to get him involved last week but then he got sick and wasn’t – he missed a lot of practice,” Dan Campbell, the coach, told reporters. “So we didn’t feel comfortable trying to load him up with stuff, so it was going to be quite limited. But we’d surely like to use him more.

However, rumor is that the youngster will be given a far better shot this week. Offensive coordinator John Morton guaranteed a greater role in Week 2 against the Chicago Bears.

“I believe his catching talent is exceptional, as I have previously stated, but he is also clever and tough. He didn’t have many plays in the game, but when he came in, he made a spectacular catch. As a result, his responsibilities will be enhanced. “He’ll help us,” Morton said on Thursday.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

How much should Isaac TeSlaa play against the Bears?

My answer: It depends on how much the Lions want to use 11 personnel (three receivers on the field). Last week, TeSlaa and Kalif Raymond combined for 47 of 67 offensive snaps. That represents about two-thirds of the time. While there is no assurance that the personnel gameplan will remain the same against the Bears, it is a decent place to start.

While I know we’re all excited to get TeSlaa out there and see what he can accomplish against NFL opposition on a full-time basis, he’s still maturing. So I’d want to see him share that time roughly evenly with Raymond, with the exception that TeSlaa should take over for Raymond on almost every red zone snap. TeSlaa is a much bigger target, and his ability to make contested catches is incredibly useful in the end zone.

So I’m looking for roughly 30% of TeSlaa’s snaps this week, or about 20 plays.

How much would you like to see TeSlaa this week against the Bears? Scroll down to the comments box and explain your response.

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