Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or Kenneth Walker


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 Reminding the Lions What They Missed

Wednesday, August 12, 5:49 AM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta missed the final eight games of 2025 with a herniated disc in his back, but once again healthy and unencumbered, he's made his presence felt throughout training camp, with senior team writer Tim Twentyman noting that he's reminded the team just how much he was missed to end the year. A day after quarterback Jared Goff called him a "stud" while speaking with the media, the two connected on back-to-back plays during a competitive portion of Tuesday's practice, following a big gain down the seam with a nine-yard touchdown. LaPorta was the TE1 as a rookie in 2023, and after a quieter second season, he was pacing as the TE7 through his first nine games of 2025. With a major role projected in Drew Petzing's tight end-friendly offense, he is RotoBaller's TE6 for 2026.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
14.8 64.0 0.5 2.5 19.9 0.1

Kenneth Walker News

Kenneth Walker Could See His Biggest Workload Yet

Thursday, August 13, 11:10 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker could finally get the kind of workload he never quite had in Seattle. Jesse Newell of The Athletic reports that Walker is primed to be the Chiefs' clear workhorse after spending last season sharing carries with Zach Charbonnet. Walker still topped 1,000 yards, rushing 221 times for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns, but he was on the field for only 46.8% of Seattle's offensive snaps. Charbonnet had 184 carries of his own and saw 50 red-zone rushes to Walker's 31. Kansas City has been showing off another part of Walker's game in camp, too, getting him loose on screens more than once. Patrick Mahomes has been openly excited about what Walker can add, and the Chiefs currently list him first on the depth chart ahead of Emari Demercado and rookie Emmett Johnson. More work near the goal line and in the passing game would make Walker even more interesting after an already efficient 2025 season.


Sam LaPorta vs. Kenneth Walker

Still trying to decide between LaPorta and Walker? 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 Kenneth Walker is projected to score 14.8 points.