Who Should I Start? Sam LaPorta or Tucker Kraft

Thursday, June 5, 6:21 PM

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that tight end Sam LaPorta has been a standout during voluntary organized team activities this offseason. Campbell also praised plenty of other Lions players, but LaPorta is a notable one after he took a step back in Year 2 in 2024 with a 60-726-7 line in 16 regular-season starts. As a Pro Bowler in his rookie campaign, the 24-year-old went for 86 receptions on 120 targets for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (14 starts). The former second-rounder (34th overall) in 2023 out of Iowa finished the year better, but there are just a lot of mouths to feed in Detroit's offense. The Lions will be run by new offensive coordinator John Morton in 2025, but LaPorta should still be a go-to red zone target for quarterback Jared Goff as a high-end TE1.

Thursday, June 12, 12:02 PM

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love said specifically that tight end Tucker Kraft's usage is a major point of focus this spring during offseason workouts. Kraft took a big jump from his rookie season in 2023 to last year, catching 50 of 70 targets for 707 yards and seven touchdowns in 17 regular-season starts as Green Bay's primary pass-catching tight end. He had just 31 receptions for 355 yards and two scores in 17 games (eight starts) in 2023 while splitting snaps with Luke Musgrave. It helped that Musgrave missed 10 games with an ankle injury last year, but Kraft should operate as the team's TE1 in 2025, and he's certainly an intriguing low-end TE1 target in fantasy drafts with upside for more because of his yards-after-the-catch prowess. The 24-year-old former third-rounder (78th overall) in 2023 out of South Dakota State is ranked as RotoBaller's No. 11 fantasy tight end.