Sam LaPorta is the Detroit Lions number 87 tight end, a 3-year pro, and finished the 2025 regular season as a low-end fantasy option at his position. He averaged 9.7 fantasy points per game across 9 appearances, which ranks him 7th among tight ends in our 2026 draft board. That per-game number is the starting point for every start or sit decision you make with him in 2026.
Sam LaPorta finished 2025 with 40 receptions for 489 yards and 3 touchdowns. He drew 49 targets, a workload that anchors his weekly floor without quite hitting alpha status.
Sam LaPorta lives in the matchup-dependent tier of tight ends. In weeks against defenses that struggle against the position, he is a strong start. In weeks where his role gets squeezed, streaming a waiver-wire tight end can produce more points. Know his schedule and plan around it.
Heading into 2026, Sam LaPorta projects as a core piece of the Detroit Lions offense. Managers drafting him need to plan around his Week 5 bye and monitor training camp reports for role changes. DraftCall's AI comparison engine lets you pit him against any other NFL player in seconds, factoring in matchup quality, recent form, and scoring format, so you can make start or sit calls with real reasoning instead of gut feel.
