This article is part of the annual Fantasy Court series. Don’t forget to check out “The Case AGAINST Sam LaPorta” for the opposing view.
Opening Statement
Disappointment is all relative, right?
That’s certainly the story for Sam LaPorta. Drafted as the second TE off the board in 2024, he carried an average ADP of 30 by the end of draft season. If you took LaPorta, you likely passed on players like James Cook, Mike Evans, or Lamar Jackson.
Despite the high draft cost, LaPorta finished with 26 fewer receptions and nearly 50 fewer targets than in his rookie season. As a result, the draft pendulum has swung back—he’s now going around the 4/5 turn (ADP 47).
So why is Sam LaPorta still worth a late fourth-round pick? Let’s break it down.
Elite Offense
LaPorta remains a key piece in the Detroit Lions’ offense, which is stacked with talent: Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jameson Williams. That firepower helped the Lions score a whopping 70 TDs last season—the fourth-most by any offense in NFL history.
Will they hit 70 again? Probably not. But 55+ TDs feels like a reasonable floor, and that kind of production almost always lands a team in the top five. Drafting a TE in a top-five offense is never a bad idea.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Nate, Ben Johnson isn’t the offensive coordinator anymore. Surely the Lions will regress.” Fair. But what’s often overlooked is Dan Campbell’s deep involvement in the offense.
Back in 2021, Campbell took over playcalling after the offense sputtered under Anthony Lynn. The unit improved significantly—even with limited talent and an injured Goff. Campbell had a heavy hand in Ben Johnson’s gameplanning, including the X’s and O’s. As Mark Schlereth put it:
“I was calling games when he was still calling plays and transitioning to Ben Johnson. Dan has a very heavy hand on the way that offense is structured, the way they run that offense. He’s big into that. The guy is very smart when it comes to Xs and Os, how to use personnel, to do all those things.”
Campbell may play the rah-rah meathead role, but behind the scenes, he’s a sharp tactician.
Yes, losing Johnson hurts. His ability to recall plays and manipulate defensive tendencies was elite. But he may have received too much credit for Detroit’s success—and Campbell not enough. Will the offense regress? Almost certainly. But will it fall out of the top five? With this talent and continuity, I’d bet against it.
Injury Affected 2024
Context matters. LaPorta’s 2024 season was shaped by injuries.
He suffered a hamstring strain in training camp, missing several weeks. Though he didn’t miss games early on, his slow start (14 receptions, 224 yards, 1 TD from Weeks 1–7) suggests lingering effects. An ankle injury, which was probably related to the hamstring injury, in Week 3 likely compounded the issue.
After a solid Week 8, he injured his shoulder in Week 10 and missed Week 11. But over the final six weeks, he averaged 15 fantasy points per game—ranking fourth among TE behind only Bowers, McBride, and Jonnu Smith (with McBride and Bowers boosted by single 30+ point games).
Once healthy, LaPorta was back in the elite tier.
TDs
TDs win fantasy championships—and LaPorta scores them.
In his first two NFL seasons, he’s tied with Mark Andrews for the most TDs at the position: 17. He’s a major red-zone threat, commanding 18% of Detroit’s red-zone targets despite nagging injuries. In 2024, he converted 17 red-zone looks into 7 TDs.
Assuming health, 7 TDs feels like his floor. Combine that with 726 receiving yards and solid volume, and LaPorta is a strong value at the 4/5 turn.
Even with a new OC and emerging weapons like Isaac TeSlaa, Lions beat writers continue to say LaPorta is Jared Goff’s second-favorite target. If that holds, the receptions and TDs will follow.
Conclusion
Yes, the Lions have plenty of weapons. But Sam LaPorta remains Goff’s No. 2 option. When healthy, he’s a top-3 TE—and that’s the elite tier in 2025. If you miss out on Brock Bowers, LaPorta is a smart, high-upside pivot at the 4/5 turn.
I rest my case.