Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or Michael Mayer
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
Saturday, August 1, 3:29 PM
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (herniated disc) has been deemed fully healthy at the start of training camp and is set to take on a large role in the Lions' offense, according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN. The 25-year-old had a disappointing Year 3 in the NFL, appearing in just nine games due to a herniated disc. However, not only is the Iowa product a full-go, but he is also set to play a large role in the offense under newly-tabbed offensive coordinator Drew Petzing. The tight end enjoyed a breakout campaign as a rookie, catching 10 touchdowns and totaling an impressive 889 yards. As a sophomore, LaPorta saw his production take a slight dip, but was still productive, scoring seven touchdowns with 726 yards. While the Detroit offense is crowded, LaPorta figures to be a primary option and is poised for a bounce-back with a clean bill of health.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.2 | 21.3 | 0.1 |
Michael Mayer News
Thursday, August 6, 10:16 AM
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (nose) returned to training camp practice on Thursday, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. Mayer missed a few practices after busting his nose during practice on Monday. The 25-year-old will return to working as the No. 2 tight end in Vegas behind Brock Bowers. The former second-rounder in 2023 from Notre Dame has yet to really make an impact for fantasy managers in his first three seasons in the NFL, and that will likely continue as long as Bowers stays healthy. Bowers dealt with a knee injury last year, which allowed Mayer to have career highs in catches (35), targets (50), and receiving yards (328) while scoring just once in 13 games played. The Raiders figure to use more two-tight-end sets in 2026 under new head coach Klint Kubiak, but that's unlikely to be enough to make Mayer a weekly starting option, even in two-TE fantasy leagues. Mayer opens his fourth NFL season ranked as RotoBaller's No. 35 fantasy TE. If Bowers misses time with an injury again, Mayer would become a priority waiver-wire addition.
Sam LaPorta vs. Michael Mayer
Still trying to decide between LaPorta and Mayer? 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 Michael Mayer is projected to score 5.0 points.
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