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Sam LaPorta was selected by the Detroit Lions during the 2023 NFL Draft and he is already carving out a solid offensive role. Despite playing in just two games so far, he clearly appears to be a major part of their offensive plans moving forward.
This is significant in fantasy football because of how difficult it is to find steady production from the tight end position.
The rookie tight has quickly become an intriguing target in fantasy football. He's already rostered in many leagues, so managers interested in acquiring him may have to explore the trade market. It may be worth it, as he could be becoming a star.
Sam LaPorta fantasy projection for 2023
Sam LaPorta entered the NFL with several reasons to believe that he could turn into an elite tight end at some point. Despite his excellent college football career in general, it helps that it occurred with the Iowa Hawkeyes.
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They have a history of producing some of the top receiving tight ends in recent years, including George Kittle and TJ Hockenson.
LaPorta's expected role with the Detroit Lions makes him an intriguing fantasy football option. He was drafted as a direct replacement for Hockenson, who they traded to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Lions also lack a truly reliable second option in their passing game behind superstar Amon-Ra St. Brown, giving LaPorta a path to a potentially massive workload.
Before plugging Sam LaPorta into fantasy lineups, make sure to reference the Start/Sit Optimizer first.
Two games into his NFL career, LaPorta is showing early signs of possibly being an elite fantasy football tight end, which is hard to come by. He has finished as the TE8 in PPR formats in each of his first two weeks, recording 10 receptions on 11 targets for 102 yards. Managers interested in acquiring him should probably do so now before his value likely continues to get higher.
Also Read: Buy-low fantasy football players to trade for
Should I trade for Sam LaPorta? Who should I trade for the Lions TE?
Managers looking to add Sam LaPorta in redraft leagues will likely be able to do so for a relatively cheap price at this point in the 2023 NFL season. His value is likely to continue to go up as the year goes on, esepcially if he becomes even more involved in the offense. Waiting to trade for him will probably only be more expensive later, so it's wise to make the move now.
The fantasy football trade analyzer helped to suggest acquiring the rookie tight end for a veteran wide receiver such as Adam Thielen. This may be the best time to capitalize on Thielen's value as well, considering his strong performance in Week 2 for the Carolina Panthers. He recorded seven receptions on nine targets for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Also Read: Adam Thielen fantasy outlook
The Panthers' offense is expected to be inconsistent at best this year as they transition to rookie quarterback Bryce Young. This makes it difficult to trust Thielen weekly.
After a big Week 2, his value may be as high as it's going to get, so it makes sense to cash in on it now. Swapping him for LaPorta could pay off in a big way if the rookie's output continues to increase.
