In what was expected to be a strong rookie tight end class, the Detroit Lions used the No. 34 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Iowa’s Sam LaPorta. Can the addition of the athletic tight end have relevance in fantasy football during his rookie campaign?
At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, LaPorta may not have prototypical size for a tight end, but he brings excellent speed, evidenced by his 4.59 in the 40-yard dash. On top of that, he provided strong production during his final two seasons at Iowa, posting 53 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns in 2021, followed by 58 receptions for 657 yards and one touchdown in 2022.
The Lions used the No. 34 overall pick to bring LaPorta in as the eventual replacement for fellow Iow product T.J. Hockenson, who was traded to the Minnesota Vikings halfway through the 2022 season. The starting role should be up for grabs during training camp and the preseason as LaPorta will compete with the likes of Brock Wright and James Mitchell, a duo who combined for 29 receptions in 2022.
LaPorta’s athleticism, college production, and draft capital show a player who eventually should be in the mix as a starting-caliber tight end in fantasy football. However, LaPorta will have to buck the very strong trend of rookie tight ends failing to make an impact during Year 1 for fantasy purposes.
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Since 2016, there have been 15 tight ends selected in the first two rounds of the draft who wound up playing at least 10 games during their rookie seasons. That group averaged 6.26 PPR points per game during their rookie seasons, while four of them averaged more than eight PPR points per game.
Those 15 tight ends averaged 35.7 receptions, 415.5 receiving yards, and 3.3 receiving touchdowns during their first campaigns in the NFL. Before he was traded to Minnesota, Hockenson recorded 26 receptions for 395 receiving yards and three touchdowns in seven games for the Lions in 2022.
History tells us that rookie tight ends typically aren’t all that useful for fantasy football. Even the ones carrying strong draft capital in the first and second rounds take time to assimilate into the NFL before they truly make a difference at the position.
The offense for the Lions was surprisingly explosive in 2022 under offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. It ranked fifth in points, fourth in touchdowns scored, and third in total offensive yardage. However, the tight ends ranked 26th in targets and 27th in target share compared to the rest of the league at the position in 2022.
Fantasy football outlook
Considering the thin depth chart and the fact that key contributors like second-year wideout Jameson Williams is suspended for the first six games of the season, LaPorta will have his chance to make an impression on the coaching staff.
According to FantasyPros, LaPorta is currently being drafted as the TE20. There’s a good chance he outperforms that ADP, but history tells us he’s unlikely to make an impact during his rookie season. So it’s likely best to view LaPorta as a late-round backup to an established veteran with the understanding that history shows he’s a year or two away from making a tangible impact in fantasy football.