Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or Theo Johnson

Monday, September 15, 11:11 PM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta missed out on the fun in his team's 52-point performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 2. LaPorta was targeted four times by Lions quarterback Jared Goff out of 28 pass attempts and recorded three catches for 26 yards. Detroit has several formidable offensive weapons, so there's always a risk that LaPorta will fall behind wide receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams and running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the pecking order for touches. After averaging over seven targets per game as a rookie in 2023, LaPorta has now averaged 5.3 targets per game across his last 18 regular-season contests. He remains a fantasy TE1, but he may be overly reliant on touchdowns as long as Detroit's other pass-catchers remain healthy.

Saturday, September 13, 2:17 AM

New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson is not a recommended fantasy start for Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. He was the TE49 in fantasy football for Week 1, securing just one of his three targets for five receiving yards and one fantasy point. This meager production, despite dominating the tight-end snaps with 46, makes him an unreliable option. Furthermore, the Cowboys' defense was a difficult matchup for tight ends in 2024, ranking second in the league by allowing only 7.66 fantasy points per game to the position. Given the tough matchup and Johnson's minimal usage and production in Week 1, he should be left on the bench in all formats.