The Detroit Lions had an electric passing offense in 2023, finishing third in passing yards per game. Much of that can be attributed to star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has solidified himself as one of the league’s best receivers.
Another key contributor to the Lions' passing attack was tight end Sam LaPorta, who burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023 and finished with 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns .
Only Evan Engram, T.J. Hockenson, and Travis Kelce came down with more catches at the TE spot, and the rookie earned a Pro Bowl nod in his inaugural season.
From a fantasy football standpoint, LaPorta was the best tight end in the league, per Fantasy Pros . LaPorta finished as TE1 in his rookie season, a remarkable accomplishment for the budding star.
Will LaPorta repeat that success in 2024? Let’s find out.
Sam LaPorta fantasy football outlook
Ceiling: TE1 overall
Floor: Low-end TE1
This offseason, the Lions did not add any notable pass-catchers. At the tight end spot, no players on the roster should take targets away from LaPorta.
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown will get plenty of targets and will likely be in the running for WR1 overall in fantasy. But outside of St. Brown, LaPorta, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs, there’s nobody else who should command a high volume of targets.
St. Brown caught over 100 passes last season, and LaPorta was still able to end the season as TE1. The same could be the case in 2024, as LaPorta will likely only get more involved with the offense.
As long as the Jared Goff-led Lions continue to air the ball out (Goff had the third-most passing attempts in 2023), LaPorta will be a fantasy stud and should be prioritized over almost every tight end.
If Goff comes back down to earth, or if wide receiver Jameson Williams breaks out, LaPorta’s targets could be significantly impacted. But, worst-case scenario, LaPorta ends up finishing the season somewhere around TE8-12.
It is certainly worth noting, though, that Josh Reynolds leaves 40 receptions, 608 yards and five touchdowns behind after leaving in free agency , so there's a significant amount of production to make up in the offense.
Other than St. Brown, LaPorta is the surest pass-catcher on this roster. LaPorta will be a fantasy weapon once again in 2024 and should be at the top of everyone’s boards at the tight end position.
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