Motlop has been sidelined due to a knee operation in the pre-season, but after two games in the VFL he is ready to be unleashed against the Tigers.
The 23-year-old had a breakout year in 2013, booting 44 goals and earning selection in the 40-man All Australian squad.
With the Cats having the bye in Round 8, coach Chris Scott said it would be "ridiculous conservatism" if they erred on the side of caution.
"He'll be likely this week," Scott said
"Sometimes we're ultra-conservative, but to give him another two weeks would be ridiculous conservatism.
"I guess I'm not giving him the absolute green light to play, because it's not completely my decision and I don't make it in isolation on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.
"But the information we've got from our medical staff is that he'll be well and truly in the frame this week."
Key forward Tom Hawkins has been cleared of any damage to his knee and will also take his place in the side.
The news isn't as good for All Australian defender Andrew Mackie, who is racing the clock to prove their fitness.
Mackie missed Geelong's loss to Port Adelaide due to the hamstring soreness he has experienced the past fortnight.
"I don't think we'll be in a position to guarantee whether Andrew Mackie will play until a day before the game," Scott said.
Ruckman Dawson Simpson is a strong chance to return after rolling his ankle at training on Friday.
"(We're) more positive with Dawson than we initially thought," Scott said.
"He just went over on his ankle and it blew up a little bit. I think if he had have done it in the game against Hawthorn he would have been a very good chance to play on the weekend but when you do it two days before the game ... we held out a one per cent chance that he might play but that didn't eventuate.
"He's a legitimate chance for this week, too early to say for sure, but he hasn't been ruled out.
"Mackie's in the same boat as well."
The Tigers will also be boosted by the return of two key players for the clash.
Vice-captain Brett Deledio, who has been battling Achilles soreness, is a strong chance to play, along with defender Alex Rance, who has been missing with a foot injury.
"They were both very close this week. It just would have been pushing the envelope a little bit to play them," coach Damien Hardwick said.
"Both are obviously very important players – our best defender and our best run-and-carry player. So they'll make a difference, but we've also got to realise they haven't played for five weeks, so it's going to take some time."