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Pride Of Detroit fantasy football takes on Sam LaPorta
Every source-backed article insight STACKED has extracted from Pride Of Detroit about Sam LaPorta.
49
Insights
23
Positive
9
Negative
Insight ledger
All Pride Of Detroit insights about Sam LaPorta
PositiveProjectionSep 13, 2026
LaPorta anytime touchdown at +160 is recommended. His return is expected to be a major factor for the Lions offense; the source notes that his return was slightly overlooked during the offseason despite improvements to the offensive line. The Saints will focus heavily on stopping the run and Gibbs, which should open up passing game opportunities. LaPorta's size makes him a red-zone target when Detroit needs a big body to snag a ball.NegativeDepth ChartSep 13, 2026
Sam LaPorta is listed as the projected starter at tight end for the Lions' Week 1 matchup against the Saints.PositiveMatchupSep 11, 2026
LaPorta is positioned as an elite slot weapon who will be heavily targeted by Jared Goff in the Lions' game plan against the Saints' Cover-3 scheme. The Saints run a base 3-4 front with a modified Vic Fangio zone-match coverage that keeps bodies up front and jams passing lanes, creating intermediate-range vulnerabilities. Goff, known for his accuracy, will look to get the ball to LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown in the slot and let them win with yards after the catch (YAC).PositiveRoleSep 10, 2026
Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who previously helped Cardinals tight end Trey McBride set NFL records, expressed enthusiasm for Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta's versatility; Petzing noted LaPorta is 'very dynamic in the passing game' with 'great body control, great hands, really good route runner,' and praised his ability to execute pass pro, play in the run game, and work 'off the ball and on the move or outside the core'—capabilities Petzing says 'very few guys in the league' can perform 'at such a high level,' which 'does put a lot of stress on a defense.'PositiveInjurySep 9, 2026
LaPorta took an awkward hit that caused his hip to flare up, forcing him to miss a little over a week before returning to practice in the final days before cutdowns. Getting cleared from the injury report this week is a great sign that he will play in Week 1 against the Saints.NegativeInjurySep 9, 2026
Tight end Sam LaPorta followed back surgery with a hip injury in August, creating availability concerns heading into the 2026 season. NFL.com's Nick Shook flags this injury combination as problematic, though he still projects the Lions to have the edge over the Saints in Week 1.NegativeRoleSep 2, 2026
Tight end Sam LaPorta remains a long-term priority for the Lions despite injury complications delaying contract extension talks. Holmes reiterated the team's commitment: 'We still want to keep those guys around. Those plans haven't changed,' though he acknowledged 'There's a couple factors that we've still got to sort through.' This contrasts with Jack Campbell and Jahmyr Gibbs, who were already extended despite being drafted the same year.NegativeInjurySep 2, 2026
Sam LaPorta is listed as the projected starter at tight end but carries a hip injury designation heading into the regular season.PositiveRoleAug 31, 2026
LaPorta is the Lions' starting tight end and likely third in the receiving pecking order; the source describes him as an elite player when healthy, contributing both as a receiver and blocker, though he has battled injuries.NegativeDepth ChartAug 31, 2026
LaPorta is the Lions' TE1, with the team expected to use two- and three-tight end formations frequently in 2026.NegativeDepth ChartAug 29, 2026
LaPorta is projected as the TE1 on the Lions' 53-man roster.NegativeInjuryAug 29, 2026
Recent hip injury; status for preseason Game 3 against Colts uncertain as he is listed among projected starters.PositiveUsageAug 27, 2026
LaPorta was targeted multiple times in the scrimmage, catching a play-action screen pass for 18 yards in Drive #4 and appearing as a wide-open target on a pass from Jared Goff in Drive #5 that would have gained at least 20 yards before the whistle came. His involvement suggests continued role in the Lions passing game.PositiveInjuryAug 25, 2026
Returned to practice after suffering a knee injury the previous week. Dan Campbell had previously indicated the injury could leak into the regular season, but LaPorta not only returned but received plenty of team reps during Tuesday's practice, suggesting a faster-than-feared recovery trajectory.NegativeInjuryAug 23, 2026
Sam LaPorta did not play (DNP) in the preseason game against the Commanders due to injury.NegativeInjuryAug 22, 2026
Recently suffered a hip injury; the recent injury could open the door to the Lions rostering four tight ends this season, creating uncertainty about the TE depth chart.NegativeInjuryAug 20, 2026
Tight end not practicing due to new hip injury; the injury is not considered serious, but Campbell expressed uncertainty about whether LaPorta could miss the start of the season, saying 'I don't know. I feel like we'll be okay, but I don't know.'NegativeInjuryAug 20, 2026
Star tight end suffered a hip injury in practice and is being held out to let it calm down. Coach Dan Campbell said LaPorta "got hit in the hip, and it just flared up a little bit. It's aggravated, but we feel good long-term about him." When asked if the injury could sideline him at the start of the regular season, Campbell was non-committal: "I don't know. I feel like we'll be okay, but I don't know." This is particularly concerning given LaPorta spent his entire offseason recovering from back surgery that caused him to miss the final eight games of the 2025 season. His availability for Week 1 remains uncertain.PositiveProjectionAug 20, 2026
Tight end Sam LaPorta added 528 yards and three touchdowns in the simulation, contributing solid production to the Lions' passing game.NegativeInjuryAug 19, 2026
LaPorta was not practicing with an undisclosed injury. He worked all offseason to rehab from back surgery and was able to start from Day 1 of training camp, but his current absence has no confirmed connection to the back issue.PositiveUsageAug 18, 2026
Hit by Goff on a wide-open flat route after Goff got Derrick Barnes to bite on play action and rolled to his left; with 25 yards between him and the end zone, one key block from TeSlaa on Clark kept LaPorta clean all the way for the score, demonstrating receiving ability and touchdown production.NegativeRoleAug 18, 2026
Sam LaPorta was targeted by Jared Goff on the first drive but the pass fell short of the sticks on third and long; later in the scrimmage, Goff targeted LaPorta on fourth down but safety Thomas Harper was tight in coverage and forced an incompletion.PositiveDepth ChartAug 17, 2026
The source projects LaPorta as the starting tight end on the 53-man roster. The source states the top three tight ends (LaPorta, Brock Wright, and Tyler Conklin) are obvious locks.NegativeRoleAug 16, 2026
Tight end LaPorta was placed with the third team during seven-on-seven drills as part of substitutions and uncommon personnel groupings.NegativeDepth ChartAug 13, 2026
Listed as the projected starter at tight end for the Lions.NegativeMatchupAug 12, 2026
LaPorta has been slowed down by the Lions' linebacking corps during team drills early in camp, highlighting the unit's decent coverage abilities.PositiveRoleAug 11, 2026
After a slow start to training camp due to back surgery recovery and limited early workload, LaPorta showed his old form on Tuesday, making back-to-back seam catches including a 25-30 yard acrobatic back-shoulder grab and a 10-yard touchdown scamper. He's now put together a few good days and appears to have the rust off.PositiveRoleAug 10, 2026
Tight end Sam LaPorta had a strong Day 10, catching a 20-yard pass from Jared Goff threaded between Clark and Thomas Harper, and scoring a 15-yard touchdown on a post corner route that beat Nick Whiteside.NegativeInjuryAug 10, 2026
Sam LaPorta is assumed to be locked in as one of the Lions' two primary tight ends but is still working his way back from injury during training camp.NegativeDepth ChartAug 6, 2026
LaPorta, a 2023 Lions draft class peer alongside Gibbs and Brian Branch, is a candidate for a contract extension. GM Brad Holmes has publicly expressed interest in giving LaPorta a new contract as part of the Lions' effort to lock up key contributors from their 2023 draft class.NegativeDepth ChartAug 5, 2026
Sam LaPorta remains the primary tight end for the Lions; Tyler Conklin was signed to compete for depth behind LaPorta and Brock Wright.PositiveRoleAug 4, 2026
Pro Bowl tight end had quiet start to Lions training camp but showed significant improvement on Day 6. After being on perceived pitch count and not looking explosive in early 1-on-1 drills, LaPorta had his first explosive day of camp: easily beat Chuck Clarks to the flats for short pickup in individuals, found soft spot in zone on corner route for 30-yard gain during 11-on-11s, and capped off 55-yard first-team drive with mesh concept touchdown in the flats against D.J. Reed. One incompletion on crossing route was due to Jared Goff overthrowing him. Rock Ya-sin notes no real reason to worry about LaPorta despite slow start.NegativeRoleAug 2, 2026
Was targeted on a fourth-down play where Malcolm Rodriguez made a pass breakup with perfect coverage, resulting in a failed conversion during 11-on-11s.NegativeUsageJul 31, 2026
LaPorta caught a 5-yard pass in bounds during the end-of-half drill.PositiveRoleJul 29, 2026
LaPorta looked fully healthy and took roughly 90% of the first-team offensive reps, only coming off the field for a handful of snaps; while not heavily featured as a receiver (one short catch), the bigger takeaway was how comfortable and fluid he looked coming off his back injury, with one of Detroit's premier offensive weapons moving at full speed again being an encouraging development entering the season.NegativeRoleJul 29, 2026
Confirmed as the starting tight end for the Lions during opening practice.NegativeRoleJul 29, 2026
Adam Schefter indicated less buzz around a potential Sam LaPorta extension compared to Jahmyr Gibbs, with the source noting 'I haven't heard as much on' LaPorta's deal. LaPorta is returning from injury, which may be delaying extension discussions relative to Gibbs, who is coming off a strong season.NegativeInjuryJul 28, 2026
Fully cleared for training camp after previous injury or health concern.NegativeDepth ChartJul 27, 2026
LaPorta is locked in as the TE1 on the Lions' projected 53-man roster.PositiveRoleJul 25, 2026
Jared Goff loves having LaPorta on the field, and it's a contract year for him. Barring injury, one fan projects him to exceed 800 yards and earn a Pro Bowl selection.PositiveProjectionJul 25, 2026
Detroit Lions fans surveyed project LaPorta will land in the 700–800 receiving yard range during the 2026 season, with 75% of respondents expecting him to clear FanDuel's over/under of 650.5 yards. If he hits the 700–800 range, he would likely rank among the top-10 tight ends in the NFL; last season only 11 tight ends exceeded 651 yards and only five exceeded 800 yards. The majority of fans selected the middle-of-the-road projection, though another third voted for the 800+ yard range.PositiveInjuryJul 23, 2026
LaPorta has been fully cleared from injury heading into the 2026 season; the source identifies him as a key player whose performance when pads come on will be critical to the Lions' squad success.PositiveInjuryJul 22, 2026
LaPorta drops one spot to #9 after an injury-hampered 2025 campaign, but the outlook is much brighter for 2026; he has been fully cleared of his back injury prior to training camp with no reason to believe he can't return to form immediately. He was producing like a top-five tight end before injury, and his blocking also took several strides; if he puts it together in 2026, he'll likely climb toward the top-five next year with a contract extension likely waiting.NegativeProjectionJul 22, 2026
FanDuel Sportsbook is projecting LaPorta for 650.5 receiving yards in 2026 at -114 odds; this moderate projection reflects ball distribution concerns given LaPorta must share targets with All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and other terrific Lions offensive weapons, along with possible lingering injury concerns despite his clearance.PositiveRoleJul 22, 2026
New offensive coordinator Drew Petzing has a lengthy history of featuring and elevating tight ends; Petzing spent three seasons in Arizona and elevated Trey McBride from 265 receiving yards as a rookie to 1,239 receiving yards in 2025 with Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selections in the last two seasons. McBride personally reached out to LaPorta to tell him 'you're going to love it. You're going to eat, you're going to have a great career,' signaling high expectations for LaPorta's role in Petzing's offense.PositiveInjuryJul 22, 2026
LaPorta was fully cleared from back injury earlier in spring and is on track to participate in training camp; coach Dan Campbell confirmed he was 'trending the right way' toward playing training camp after requiring back surgery and missing nine games in 2025 with only 489 receiving yards.PositiveProjectionJul 22, 2026
LaPorta produced 40 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns in his injury-shortened 2025 season, which was actually the most yards per game he's accumulated in a single season. With new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing—who helped turn Cardinals tight end Trey McBride into an All-Pro—LaPorta could be in for a career year in 2026.PositiveInjuryJul 22, 2026
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has been fully medically cleared and is expected to enter training camp as a full participant after suffering a herniated disc in his back last year that required surgery and caused him to miss the final eight games of the 2025 season. Coach Dan Campbell confirmed during minicamp in June that LaPorta was 'trending the right way' in his recovery trajectory.PositiveDepth ChartJul 22, 2026
Sam LaPorta is a lock to make the 53-man roster as the Lions' primary tight end.