Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or Harold Fannin Jr.
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
Thursday, July 30, 7:29 PM
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said "it's pretty exciting" when discussing the status of tight end Sam LaPorta (back) as he works his way towards a return from back surgery, per Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. Pouncy reports that Campbell said LaPorta is "ready to go" and "a big piece of our offense." LaPorta recorded 40 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns on 49 targets across nine games last season before suffering a season-ending back injury. The 25-year-old has proven he has high-end fantasy TE1 upside when healthy, as he recorded over 1,600 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns across his first two NFL seasons in 2023 and 2024. While the back injury and the Lions' deep core of talented pass-catchers are both potential limiting factors for LaPorta's fantasy value, it appears as though Detroit is encouraged by their tight end's status at the start of training camp. RotoBaller currently ranks LaPorta as the TE8 for redraft leagues.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 47.4 | 0.3 |
Harold Fannin Jr. News
Wednesday, July 29, 9:08 AM
Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (groin) said he will be "full-go" for training camp despite having offseason groin surgery, according to Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Fannin had surgery to fix a groin injury that he suffered in Week 17 of his rookie campaign, which explains why he missed the offseason program. It's something to keep an eye on entering the 2026 season, but with the 22-year-old fully cleared, he'll resume his role as the team's clear top pass-catching TE after an incredibly successful rookie season in 2025. After being taken with the 67th overall pick in the third round out of Bowling Green, Fannin caught 72 of his 107 targets for a team-leading 731 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games (13 starts) for the Browns. Although concerns about the long-term QB situation in Cleveland cloud his long-term fantasy appeal, Fannin should enter his second year in the NFL as at least a low-end TE1 target after his strong production in 2025. The fact that Fannin is a full-go for the start of training camp should also improve his ADP in fantasy drafts going forward.
Sam LaPorta vs. Harold Fannin Jr.
Still trying to decide between LaPorta and Fannin Jr.? 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 Harold Fannin Jr. is projected to score 11.3 points.
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