After a rookie season where he set multiple records, Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta was the first tight end off the board in many 2024 fantasy football drafts.
Fully justifying that ADP with a repeat finish as the TE1 felt unlikely from the get-go, and that’s what happened.
Over his first six games last season, LaPorta had 14 catches (on 17 targets) for 224 yards and one touchdown.
Any lingering effects of a preseason injury and the emergence of Jameson Williams impacted his target volume, and dropped him outside the top-20 fantasy tight ends through Week 7 in half and full-point PPR.
From there, Week 8-18, LaPorta had 46 receptions for 502 yards and six touchdowns to finish as the TE6 in 0.5-point PPR over that stretch.
Narrow that to Week 17, the end of the season in many fantasy leagues, and he was also TE6 over that season-closing stretch (0.5-point PPR).
If he hadn’t missed a game (Week 11), and had he posted his per-game average in said game, he would have been the TE4 from Week 8 through the end of season.
During the fantasy playoffs (Week 15-17), LaPorta was the TE1 in standard and 0.5-point PPR and the TE2 in full PPR.
When it was all said and done LaPorta finished as a top-10 fantasy tight end in his second season, regardless of scoring format.
He just wasn’t the TE1, and many of his fantasy managers may not have benefited from his stronger finishing stretch.
Dynasty fantasy football is a year-round thing. With that in mind Mike Fanelli of RotoBaller recently put together a list of five third-year players to buy in that format, and LaPorta rounded out the list.
“After scoring 7.3 or fewer fantasy points in five of his first six games, LaPorta scored 12.3 or more in six of the final 10 contests.
Furthermore, he averaged 8.3 targets and 14.1 fantasy points per game during the fantasy playoffs. While LaPorta is no longer the dynasty TE1, the young star is an excellent trade target.”
The idea of buying low on LaPorta in dynasty is all well and good, but what might a trade look like?Let’s play around with the scenario on KeepTradeCut.
In the trade equation, with Superflex settings but no tight end premium, LaPorta is worth 5,340 points. The list of players or picks to even out the trade, of course coming from square one on the other side, is pretty lofty:
Rashee Rice: 5,466 value points
Trevor Lawrence: 5,452 points
Kyren Williams: 5,433 points
2025 Pick 1.06: 5,430 points
Jonathan Taylor: 5,407 points
Changing to tight end premium in the trade calculator bumps LaPorta’s value to 5,930 points, and changes the players/picks to even out a 1-for-1 trade to Garrett Wilson, 2025 Pick 1.03, 2025 Pick 1.04 and Breece Hall.
I can add a personal angle to the idea of trading for LaPorta in dynasty.
I have Jonathan Taylor in a Superflex, tight end premium (1.5 points per-receptions) FFPC dynasty league.
My top tight end in that league is Jake Ferguson, but my gut reaction is to be hesitant to trade Taylor for LaPorta.
Interestingly though, in terms of my roster and albeit with tight end premium off, Ferguson and Tyreek Hill is deemed a fair trade for LaPorta by the KeepTradeCut calculator.
LaPorta managers in dynasty leagues should not be too discouraged by his second season overall.
But non-LaPorta managers might be well-served to check in with a trade offer, just to see what it might take to get him. Just remember there’s a difference between bringing a low-ball offer and trying to buy-low
Following a debut season in which he broke several records, Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta was the first tight end selected in numerous 2024 fantasy football drafts.
From the start, it seemed improbable that ADP would achieve a repeat finish as the TE1, and indeed, that’s what transpired.
In his initial six games last season, LaPorta recorded 14 receptions (from 17 targets) totaling 224 yards and a single touchdown.
The residual impact of a preseason injury and the rise of Jameson Williams affected his target volume, leading to his fall below the top-20 fantasy tight ends by Week 7 in both half and full-point PPR.
From Week 8 to Week 18, LaPorta recorded 46 catches for 502 yards and six touchdowns, concluding that period as the TE6 in 0.5-point PPR scoring.
Focus on Week 17, which marks the season’s conclusion for numerous fantasy leagues, and he was the TE6 during that final stretch (0.5-point PPR).
Had he not missed a game (Week 11) and maintained his per-game average in that game, he would have ranked as the TE4 from Week 8 until the season’s conclusion.
In the fantasy playoffs (Weeks 15-17), LaPorta ranked as the TE1 in standard and 0.5-point PPR formats, and the TE2 in full PPR.
When everything was concluded, LaPorta ended up as a top-10 fantasy tight end in his second year, regardless of the scoring method.
He simply wasn’t the TE1, and numerous fantasy managers might not have gained from his improved concluding stretch.
Dynasty fantasy football is a year-round activity. Considering that, Mike Fanelli from RotoBaller recently compiled a list of five third-year players to invest in that format, with LaPorta completing the list.
“Following a performance of 7.3 or fewer fan
tasy points in five out of his initial six games, LaPorta scored”
