Sam LaPorta vs Trey McBride: Who Should You Start?
Sam LaPorta and Trey McBride are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Sam LaPorta averaged 9.7 PPG across 9 games with the Detroit Lions, while Trey McBride posted 14.9 PPG in 17 appearances for the Arizona Cardinals.
A 5.2-PPG gap gives Trey McBride the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Trey McBride is the volume tight end in this matchup with 126 receptions for 1239 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 Trey McBride, but the floor gap is real.
One scheduling note: Sam LaPorta is off Week 5 and Trey McBride Week 11. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
