Should I start Sam LaPorta in Week 1?

TE · DET · Bye 6

Week 1 · 2026 season · Consensus updated September 3 at 1:20 PM EDT

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StartConsensus TE7 · range #5–#9

Consensus TE7 this week — a top-8 tight end.

Week 1 consensus by format

FormatTE rankBestWorstSplitFlex rankProj. pts
PPRTE759±1.1#7211.1
Half PPRTE759±0.9#808.9
StandardTE6510±1.1#896.7

Expert consensus and ownership data via FantasyPros · rostered in 97% of ESPN and Yahoo leagues

Latest news

What the analysts are saying

Laporta's hip injury has made his status for Week 1 murky, but his returning to practice this early is a good sign. The tight end will likely be limited as he builds back up, but he could be in line to start the season barring any setbacks.

Diego Sandoval, FantasyPros · Sam LaPorta (hip) returns to practice Tuesday

Ranked around him this week

The TEs directly above and below on the Week 1 consensus board — the players you're actually choosing between.

See the full boards

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Sam LaPorta in Week 1?
Start. Consensus TE7 this week — a top-8 tight end. The expert range runs from #5 to #9. The consensus projection is 11.1 PPR points.
Where is Sam LaPorta ranked for Week 1?
The FantasyPros expert consensus has Sam LaPorta at TE7 for Week 1, and flex #73 among RB/WR/TE in PPR. The expert range runs from #5 to #9.