Sam LaPorta surprised everyone last year as a rookie with the Detroit Lions. Rookie tight ends rarely have the impact LaPorta did last season, but Dan Campbell was a tight end himself. He knows the significance of the position better than anyone. Was his rookie year enough to repeat as TE1 this season?
2024 Fantasy Football Profile: Sam LaPorta
2023 In Review
LaPorta finished as the best tight end in fantasy football last year in both standard and PPR leagues. As a rookie, the Lions tight end tallied 889 receiving yards. That’s an average of 52 yards per game which is right around the weekly average for tight ends. Where LaPorta really thrived was getting into the endzone as he caught 10 touchdown passes from Jared Goff.
The rookie tight end was Goff’s second-favorite target behind Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2023. LaPorta benefitted from Goff being one of just two quarterbacks to finish in the top 10 for PFF passing grades on short, medium, and deep passes. It’s a large reason why LaPorta did as well as he did last season.
With Campbell having experience as a tight end, he made sure he got the most out of LaPorta even as a rookie. LaPorta secured at least five catches in 10 games in 2023. If week 18 is excluded since most fantasy leagues wrap up in week 17, he made five or more catches in 9/16 games, or 56% of the games he appeared in.
Sam LaPorta’s Rookie Statistical Rankings among TEs in NFL History (rank):
• 86 receptions (1st)
• 889 receiving yards (4th)
• 10 receiving TDs (2nd)
• 49 1st Downs (2nd)
• 358 Yards After Catch (1st)
• 531 Air Yards Before Catch (2nd)
• 9 Broken Tackles (1st)— Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) July 9, 2024
2024 Projection
Those who are high on LaPorta will be happy to know the Lions did not make any upgrades in the wide receiver department this offseason. Running it back with the same group means LaPorta should see the same amount of targets in 2024 as he did last year, if not more.
Every time a player like LaPorta exceeds expectations as a rookie, there’s uncertainty about him the next year because of the idea of a “sophomore slump.” Those usually happen when players start to develop an ego and with Campbell putting an emphasis on the “blue collar” mentality, LaPorta won’t let his ego get the better of him.
One area that LaPorta will improve with the Lions is his catch rate. While he caught 86 passes last season with Detroit, he also received 120 targets for a catch rate of 71.7%. Ideally, that catch rate would improve to 80% which would increase his fantasy production even more.
Sam LaPorta Fantasy Football ADP
LaPorta is already getting the Kelce and Kittle treatment in fantasy football drafts. FantasyPros shows he currently has an ADP of 22, but people can be much more aggressive when drafting. While the lowest he’s been selected is 78, 99.9% of leagues aren’t like that. LaPorta isn’t getting past the second round… maybe the third round if you’re lucky.
Whether or not LaPorta’s ADP is worth the high pick depends on how you draft. Premium tight ends like LaPorta can produce more fantasy points than a lot of low-end WR1 selections and mostly all WR2 options. Even wide receivers that have a lot of upside and potential may not score as many points as LaPorta this year.
Some fantasy football experts believe it’s best to wait on tight ends for better value. While that can be the case, LaPorta falling into your lap at the end of the second round or the beginning of the third round is a gift. People don’t like taking candy from a baby until the sweetness hits your taste buds.
There’s no doubt that LaPorta can repeat again as the best tight end in fantasy football. Kittle and Kelce are still producing, but they are aging and in offenses with a lot of mouths to feed. Detroit’s passing game runs through LaPorta and St. Brown. It would be very beneficial to select him early in the draft and watch as others scramble for tight ends.
Sam LaPorta is a must-draft player in this Lions offense, and he will be a difference-maker every single week.
Main Image: Eric Seals / USA TODAY NETWORK
