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Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta had a rough start to the season, fantasy football wise at least. He logged a string of four straight single-digit PPR fantasy point performances in his first four games before the team's bye week.
Though he had some bigger days in his next few contests, there were still multiple duds, and it wasn't until Week 13 that he began consistently finishing with double-digit points. Fantasy managers have certainly been happier with the results, but are likely curious why he had such a slump to begin with.
So let's break down the second-year pro's fantasy football oulook and if he's startable in Week 17.
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Sam LaPorta Fantasy Football Outlook
He's easily a TE1, though that doesn't mean much these days, as the tight ends at the lower end of the top-12 typically aren't difference-makers. In recent weeks, he's flashed some of the upside that made him a league-winning pick in 2023, but still sits just outside the top-5 at the position.
The Lions weren’t taking the Cowboys seriously at all 💀
- Tried throwing a TD pass to OT Taylor Decker
- Ran a hook-and-ladder to OT Penei Sewell
- Let OT Dan Skipper run routes as a WR
- Flea flicker to Sam LaPorta for a TD pic.twitter.com/uOXqHhIme9— GhettoGronk (@TheGhettoGronk) October 14, 2024
Lions head coach Dan Campbell emphasized that his team wasn't going to take this game off and would do everything they could to win, so offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's creativity will be on full display, to the benefit of all his players, which adds some upside to LaPorta's game.
Should I Start Sam LaPorta in Week 17?
Yes. There is absolutely no question that you should. His shocking lack of usage early in the season was largely because the team's defense was so improved and the running back combination of David Montgomery (knee) and Jahmyr Gibbs allowed the team to run the ball relentlessly. That's not the case anymore.
Monty won't play due to a knee injury, and the massive amount of injuries on the defense have allowed teams to score much more on the Lions. This has resulted in them being forced to pass the ball much more, as they can't give Gibbs a 40+ touch workload (they need to keep him healthy) and they won't use their backup RBs like they used Monty.
Sam LaPorta for the TD!
pic.twitter.com/eXlyvYqoM2— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) December 22, 2024
Another reason for less work was the emergence of wide receiver Jameson Williams, who has had his first breakout season. But it's important to note that LaPorta didn't regress. He simply saw less usage due to changes in how the offense was run, and that looks to have shifted back in his favor.
Start him.
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