Sam LaPorta

Sam LaPorta enters the 2026 fantasy season as one of the better rebound candidates at tight end. After a back injury cut short his 2025 season, recent reports say he is expected to be healthy for 2026, and he has already participated in OTA walkthroughs while aiming to be ready for training camp.

The biggest reason for optimism is the fit with new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. Multiple recent fantasy previews note that Petzing’s offenses have been friendly to tight ends, and analysts expect Detroit to feature LaPorta heavily again, with some projecting a meaningful target bump from his recent two-year average.

LaPorta’s talent profile is still very strong. He has already shown TE1 overall upside, and even while his raw fantasy output dipped after his rookie season, his efficiency remained excellent, with career highs in catch rate, yards per target, and yards per route run cited in recent analysis. That makes him a very credible bounce-back pick, especially if the Lions’ offense stays near the top of the league in scoring opportunities.

For fantasy drafters, the main question is cost versus ceiling. Recent sources place him in the TE6 to TE7 range, with projections that still support mid-range TE1 value and upside into the top five if the target share rises as expected. In 2026, LaPorta looks like a strong target for managers who want a reliable tight end with real weekly upside, but he may not need to be forced at an extreme premium because the position has several appealing alternatives.

Updated 06/08/2026