Who Should I Start? Dalton Schultz or Sam LaPorta

Sunday, January 5, 4:20 PM

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz finished the regular season by catching all three of his targets for 26 yards in a 23-14 victory at Tennessee. The Texans already were locked into the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs prior to the game, so they gave starting quarterback C.J. Stroud one drive before giving way to backup Davis Mills. The veteran tight end still managed an average game despite key players getting most of the day off and a game plan that ended with more rushing attempts (29) than passing attempts (28). Schultz and the Texans will turn their attention to the postseason, where they will play host to a Wild Card game.

Monday, January 6, 1:09 AM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta caught all seven of his targets for 63 yards during Sunday's Week 18 win over the Minnesota Vikings. LaPorta played a large role in helping the Lions secure the NFC's top seed, both this weekend and over a greater stretch of games. In fact, over the final six weeks of the regular season, he ranked first among tight ends in fantasy points (tied with Trey McBride). It was impressive to watch the 23-year-old overcome a tough start to 2024 and finish the season as one of fantasy football's most productive, impactful tight ends. He should remain in the mid-range TE1 tier for 2025, and this season should serve as a reminder to fantasy managers that LaPorta is a top fantasy option regardless of whether his role in the Detroit offense takes a little while to develop.