Who Should I Start? Jordan Thomas or Sam LaPorta

Friday, September 25, 6:51 PM

Across two games so far in 2026, Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has recorded 11 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets. The 25-year-old has established himself as the number two option in the Lions' passing game, behind only star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. In Week 3, LaPorta will square off against a New York Jets defense that currently ranks second in the NFL in both total passing yards (285) and yards per pass attempt (4.7) allowed. The Jets did a nice job against Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft in Week 2, holding him to 15 receiving yards on two catches. Still, the Lions may be forced into a pass-heavy game script by their struggling defense, which has been one of the worst in the NFL so far. As long as he continues to see adequate target volume, LaPorta profiles as a steady TE1 option for fantasy managers in Week 3.