Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or Gunnar Helm


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 Resumes Work After Hip Issue

Tuesday, August 25, 11:42 AM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (hip) returned to practice Tuesday, according to Richard Silva. LaPorta had been sidelined since last week after taking a hit to the hip that caused the issue to flare up. Head coach Dan Campbell said Thursday that Detroit felt good about LaPorta's long-term outlook but couldn't guarantee he would be ready for Week 1. Getting him back onto the field five days later is an encouraging development, though his level of participation Tuesday was not immediately clear. LaPorta was limited to nine games last season, catching 40 passes for 489 yards and three touchdowns. His return doesn't lock in his status for the opener, but it moves things in a much better direction after Detroit spent the end of last week resting him.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
7.1 0.0 0.0 3.1 27.8 0.2

Gunnar Helm News

Gunnar Helm Has Momentum on His Side Entering 2026

Tuesday, August 25, 8:51 PM

Tennessee Titans tight end Gunnar Helm finished the 2025 season on a very strong note, and he'll look to pick up exactly where he left off as the 2026 campaign gets underway. Helm was the overall TE31 as a rookie. He had at least four catches in six of his final 12 games last year, including an impressive stat line of 20 catches, 141 yards, and one touchdown over the last six weeks. His emergence might have been a motivating factor in the Titans' decision to let Chig Okonkwo walk in free agency. Helm is now the undisputed No. 1 tight end in Tennessee, and while he'll likely face competition for targets from Carnell Tate and Wan'Dale Robinson, he figures to handle a decent target share throughout the upcoming season. The Texas product is currently the TE31 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings, but he has legitimate top-18 upside in both dynasty and redraft formats.


Sam LaPorta vs. Gunnar Helm

Still trying to decide between LaPorta and Helm? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Sam LaPorta is projected to score 11.2 points this week while Gunnar Helm is projected to score 7.1 points.