Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Sam LaPorta


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
10.0 0.0 0.0 3.7 42.8 0.3

George Kittle News

George Kittle Says He's 'Pretty Close' in Achilles Rehab

Sunday, August 16, 12:07 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) gave another positive update on his recovery Sunday. While doing his on-field rehab, Kittle told Matt Barrows that he's "hitting numbers I need to hit" and is "pretty close." Kittle remains on the active/PUP list and hasn't returned to team practice yet after tearing his right Achilles during San Francisco's Wild Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles in January. He has been working off to the side throughout camp as he continues to build toward football activity. Kittle has made Week 1 his goal, although coming back that quickly from a January Achilles tear would be an aggressive timeline. The 32-year-old was still productive when healthy last season, catching 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games. There is still another step to take before Kittle is practicing with his teammates, but his latest comments suggest the rehab continues to move in the right direction.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
11.2 0.0 0.0 4.2 48.5 0.3

Sam LaPorta News

Sam LaPorta Reminding the Lions What They Missed

Wednesday, August 12, 5:49 AM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta missed the final eight games of 2025 with a herniated disc in his back, but once again healthy and unencumbered, he's made his presence felt throughout training camp, with senior team writer Tim Twentyman noting that he's reminded the team just how much he was missed to end the year. A day after quarterback Jared Goff called him a "stud" while speaking with the media, the two connected on back-to-back plays during a competitive portion of Tuesday's practice, following a big gain down the seam with a nine-yard touchdown. LaPorta was the TE1 as a rookie in 2023, and after a quieter second season, he was pacing as the TE7 through his first nine games of 2025. With a major role projected in Drew Petzing's tight end-friendly offense, he is RotoBaller's TE6 for 2026.


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 10.0 points this week while Sam LaPorta is projected to score 11.2 points.