Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or Colston Loveland

Sunday, January 19, 12:27 AM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta caught six of his seven targets for 51 yards and a touchdown during Saturday's Divisional Round loss to the Washington Commanders. His touchdown came at the end of an impressive offensive play in which Jared Goff scrambled, threw while being tackled, and connected with LaPorta, who used his left hand to haul in the football and secure the catch. It was a valiant effort to give the Lions their only receiving touchdown of the game, but it wasn't enough. Detroit fell to Washington by two scores, ending their season shy of a Super Bowl berth once again. With that said, this Lions team continues to show plenty of promise ahead of the 2025 campaign. LaPorta himself was riding a hot stretch when the season ended, catching 38 passes for 392 yards and five touchdowns over his last seven contests. He should continue to rank as a mid-range TE1 ahead of next summer's fantasy drafts.

Thursday, May 8, 7:16 PM

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Chicago Bears have signed first-round pick tight end Colston Loveland to a four-year, $26.6 million deal. He was one of five draft picks to sign their rookie deal on Thursday, along with new teammate, running back Kyle Monangai. The former Michigan Wolverine is officially a Bear. Loveland did not laud eye-popping stats during his time in college, but he brings a tantalizing blend of athleticism and ball skills to the field. Not only is he versatile -- able to move around the formation to cause mismatches -- but he's also drawn comparisons to Trey McBride and Sam LaPorta, the latter of which would be fitting considering his potential role in a Ben Johnson offense. The Idaho native will likely lose some work to fellow tight end Cole Kmet in 2025, but he's an excellent long-term play and should take over as the team's starter eventually.