Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or C.J. Stroud

Tuesday, October 21, 1:24 PM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta was held in check by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7, recording three catches for 15 yards on three targets in his team's 24-9 win. LaPorta had recorded back-to-back games with five catches, 50-plus receiving yards, and a touchdown leading into Week 7, so his showing against Tampa Bay is a letdown for fantasy managers. LaPorta has recorded 29 receptions for 339 yards and two touchdowns on 36 targets across seven games so far this season. With an average of just over five targets per game, LaPorta will likely remain heavily reliant on touchdowns for fantasy production. Detroit has its bye in Week 8 before hosting the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9.

Tuesday, October 28, 11:59 AM

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has played some of his best football in recent weeks. Across his team's last three games, Stroud has thrown for 791 yards, seven touchdowns, and two interceptions. Perhaps most importantly for his fantasy outlook, Stroud has attempted 88 passes over his last two games alone. That marks a notable shift in the Houston offense, as Stroud cracked 28 pass attempts just once over his first five games. If the Texans' game plan on offense is shifting to a more pass-heavy approach, Stroud could be a more viable streaming option for fantasy managers in single-quarterback formats going forward. Houston has a difficult matchup in Week 9 against the Denver Broncos, so Stroud may not be a player to target specifically for this week. However, his uptick in pass attempts is still a trend worth monitoring for fantasy managers as the Texans hit the second half of their season.