Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or De'Von Achane

Tuesday, August 19, 1:18 PM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (undisclosed) returned to training camp practice on Tuesday, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. LaPorta has been held out of practices recently with a minor undisclosed issue, but it was never considered serious. It's unclear if he'll make his debut this preseason in the finale on Saturday against the Houston Texans. The 24-year-old former second-rounder (34th overall) in 2023 out of Iowa put himself on the fantasy map right away in his rookie campaign with an 86-889-10 line in 17 games (14 starts). He took a slight step backwards in his sophomore season with a 60-726-7 line in 16 regular-season starts. LaPorta has plenty of competition in a still stacked Lions offense which will be run by new offensive coordinator John Morton. However, in one of the top offenses in the league, LaPorta should be considered a top-five fantasy TE.

Saturday, August 23, 11:43 PM

According to Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, running back De'Von Achane hasn't had any setbacks regarding his recovery efforts. McDaniel added that he "looks forward" to getting Achane back at practice in the weeks heading into the opener versus the Indianapolis Colts. Jaylen Wright (leg) is considered "week-to-week," so fantasy managers may not see him on the field on September 7. Fortunately, it appears Achane has a good chance of playing. The 23-year-old finished the 2024 campaign with 907 yards off 203 carries. He also had 78 catches for 592 yards while totaling 12 touchdowns. If Achane is good to suit up against Indianapolis, he's a must-start in any fantasy format. If he's not cleared to play, Wright, assuming he's healthy, and Ollie Gordon II, who had eight touches for 43 yards in Saturday's preseason win over the Jaguars, are the favorites to see more work.