Colston Loveland vs Sam LaPorta: Who Should You Start?
Colston Loveland (8.5 PPG) and Sam LaPorta (9.7 PPG) produced nearly identical fantasy numbers in 2025. When two tight ends are this close on a per-game basis, the weekly matchup matters more than the season-long resume. Colston Loveland played 16 games for the Chicago Bears; Sam LaPorta suited up 9 times for the Detroit Lions.
A 1.2-point per-game gap over a full season is essentially noise. It means one extra catch, one fewer target, or a single broken play away from flipping the script. For a weekly start/sit call between these two, matchup analysis matters far more than the season line.
Colston Loveland is the volume tight end in this matchup with 58 receptions for 713 yards, while Sam LaPorta profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (3 scores on 40 catches). In weeks where Sam LaPorta finds the end zone he out-scores Colston Loveland, but the floor gap is real.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Colston Loveland sits Week 7 while Sam LaPorta is off Week 5. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
