Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Sam LaPorta
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.3 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 43.0 | 0.3 |
George Kittle News
Thursday, September 10, 9:50 AM
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) beat the usual recovery timeline for the Achilles tear he suffered in January and will be active for the team's season opener on Thursday night. Despite being limited in practices this week, he carries no injury designation heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Rams in Melbourne. In Kittle's only game against Los Angeles in 2025, he caught nine passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Fantasy managers should not expect the same production for Week 1, as the tight end can be expected to be on a pitch count, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. With the additions to the 49ers' receiving room in Mike Evans, De'Zhaun Stribling, and Deebo Samuel Sr., Brock Purdy has plenty of options to throw to. Kittle ranks as RotoBaller's TE8 this week, but his usual ceiling will be hard to reach in light of the circumstances around him.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 48.5 | 0.4 |
Sam LaPorta News
Saturday, September 12, 6:24 AM
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta had his 2025 campaign cut short after he suffered a season-ending back injury in Week 10. However, the 25-year-old is back to full health entering 2026 and profiles as a key piece in the potentially potent Lions passing attack. In Week 1, the Lions will host the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans fielded a strong pass defense in 2025, allowing the fifth-fewest total passing yards (3,336) and 12th-fewest yards per pass attempt (6.8) in the NFL. However, the team lost a key piece of its coverage unit against tight ends in lineback Demario Davis, who signed with the New York Jets in free agency. Now that he's healthy, LaPorta has a chance to reclaim his status as the number two option in the Lions' passing game behind star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. All in all, LaPorta profiles as a solid TE1 option for fantasy managers in Week 1.
George Kittle vs. Sam LaPorta
Still trying to decide between Kittle and LaPorta? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that George Kittle is projected to score 10.3 points this week while Sam LaPorta is projected to score 11.9 points.
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