Sam LaPorta

[DynastyDrum30]

Couldn’t find a thread dedicated to this guy; point me in the right direction if there is one.

Through his first three NFL games, Laporta has the following stats:

22 TAR
18 REC
186 YDS
1 TD
8.45 YPT
10.33 YPC
62 YPG
Catch % = 82%
Ranked #2 TE in half-PPR & PPR

On DD’s popular “rookie WR production” thread, he gave these indicators of what to look for in identifying future TE studs in their rookie seasons:

Looking for:
Yards per Game - 20+
Catch Percentage - 68%+
Yards per Target - 8+
Games played - 9+

Obviously a small sample size, but so far he checks all the boxes, except games played. I’m trying to remember a rookie TE that’s ever started this hot before. He’s the #2 receiving option right now with a pretty solid quarterback on a team that has a history of utilizing TEs generously.

What do you all think of his future outlook and current valuation? I’m considering buying high on this guy. Where do you value him in relation to Pitts in TEP?

[Ice]

He is a future stud TE in a great scheme offense with a QB that will find him often. Pitts has confirmed to is all that TE's are highly scheme dependent. I am a big fan of Pitt's talent but LaPorta is the TE to own between these two IMO.

[Jrblaha]

They’re both the same age. I hate what ATL has done to London and Pitts but unless I’m aggressively competing I’m not moving Pitts for LaPorta. I do think LaPorta will have a better year, and idk that Pitts produces until his second contract. Boy that’s depressing, more I type, the more I’d get the swap, but I’d rather go down with the ship on Pitts personally

[DynastyDrum30]

They’re both the same age. I hate what ATL has done to London and Pitts but unless I’m aggressively competing I’m not moving Pitts for LaPorta. I do think LaPorta will have a better year, and idk that Pitts produces until his second contract. Boy that’s depressing, more I type, the more I’d get the swap, but I’d rather go down with the ship on Pitts personally

I hear you. I’m going back and forth with Pitts, as Hes only 22. I could see him getting a good qb eventually and being an Uber stud. That rookie season wasn’t a fluke.

I’ve been rebuilding the last three years, and this is finally the year Im getting out of rebuild and competing for a title. Currently 3-0 in my league and 3rd in total points scored. Been in the league 10 years and never won it all.

My TE is killing me, and all the other contenders have all the other good TEs and won’t come off them. The LaPorta owner is the only exception and he’s in rebuild, hence my thoughts on offering Pitts straight up for him.

[Cameron Giles]

LaPorta is awesome. He was one of the most complete TEs in this class and Iowa continues to produce strong TE prospects. Right now, I think LaPorta is the better value, simply because nobody who owns LaPorta would trade him for Pitts right now. But, I'm sure there's a bunch of people who own Pitts who would happily trade him for LaPorta.

That said, it wasn't long ago that Pitts was producing at a high level with a competent QB. He's also the same age as LaPorta, though he's not as complete of a player. I don't think people should give up on Pitts. He's not going to be attached to one of the worst QBs in the league forever.

I don't blame you for wanting to get off the ride, but I think you'd have to prepare to give up something with Pitts to get LaPorta. He only has two Top-12 weeks since 2022.

[airforceones25]

LaPorta looks great right now and as long as they keep feeding him I think you have to stay on that bandwagon.

I truly believe the TE to own from this class when it’s all said and done will be Musgrave. The size, speed is there. He’s been constantly open every game. He’s still so raw coming off a lost season in college last year and the Packers refuse to take him off the field in all situations. Minus a couple missed throws by Jordan Love he’d be TE1 right now. Love has missed him on wide open monster guaranteed TDs a few times now. Once that connection gets going I think it’s lights out.

[Kurt G.O.A.T.]

i watched the falcons-lions game.

laporta is solid gold. so happy i have him a few places.

pitts is a monster. it's criminal how open he is all game but his qb can't get the ball within 5 yards of him.

[Dynasty DeLorean]

Couldn’t find a thread dedicated to this guy; point me in the right direction if there is one.

Through his first three NFL games, Laporta has the following stats:

22 TAR
18 REC
186 YDS
1 TD
8.45 YPT
10.33 YPC
62 YPG
Catch % = 82%
Ranked #2 TE in half-PPR & PPR

On DD’s popular “rookie WR production” thread, he gave these indicators of what to look for in identifying future TE studs in their rookie seasons:

Looking for:
Yards per Game - 20+
Catch Percentage - 68%+
Yards per Target - 8+
Games played - 9+

Obviously a small sample size, but so far he checks all the boxes, except games played. I’m trying to remember a rookie TE that’s ever started this hot before. He’s the #2 receiving option right now with a pretty solid quarterback on a team that has a history of utilizing TEs generously.

What do you all think of his future outlook and current valuation? I’m considering buying high on this guy. Where do you value him in relation to Pitts in TEP?

He’s started red hot for sure, and I think he has to be in the Top 5 for TEs at this point. During rookie drafts, I was intrigued for sure, he certainly looked explosive and athletic on film. But he is on the shorter end of height (6’3”) and arms (32”) than most elite TE prospects. Plus there were several highly interesting TE prospects in this draft class. I basically took one of each in all my leagues because I wasn’t sure. But Laporta has been awesome. And he has the thick build of a prototypical TE. He looks a lot like Kittle.

I believe Pitts failed on the catch percentage benchmark. We didn’t get to see him at the combine so we don’t really know what his athletic testing numbers are. But he doesn’t have the build of a prototypical TE either. He’s a lot like Evan Engram, more receiver than TE. In theory that should be great for us in FF, but it’s not quite worked out as we hoped for either of them. And I don’t think we can blame all the failures on situation either. Elite players usually find a way. I have equal shares of Pitts and Laporta, rooting for them both.

Musgrave is also very interesting, but doesn’t have the power of laporta. The two TEs that stood out on film when I was scouting was laporta and musgrave. Kincaid and Mayer looked really solid as well but it was unclear how much juice they had.

[FantasyFreak]

Does anybody NOT have him TE1 at this point? I know Hock has slightly better numbers this year, but the 4 year age gap to me, gives Laporta the rank of 1.

[frerichs5]

I still prefer Hock, but it’s very close and wouldn’t argue anyone on the other side. One of those that no matter which one I had, I wouldn’t add to them to trade for the other.

Hock is only 26, 27 next season. Still plenty young enough that the age gap doesn’t make a difference for me yet. Hard to play in more than a 3 year timeframe with as fast as things change…age shouldn’t play a factor in the next 3 years for me personally.

[Jigga94]

Yeah I think I'd still give Hock the edge based on track record. Not that I think Laporta will fall off. I offered Andrews for Laporta straight up around week 6-8 and got turned down. He's legit. Kelce is too old to take ahead of him. Andrews is banged up and a little older comparatively. I think McBride can have the same upside, but Laporta is a bit younger and wasted no time making an impact. Kincaid doesn't have the same upside IMO. Pitts/Bowers theoretically have the same upside...

[FantasyFreak]

Yeah I think I'd still give Hock the edge based on track record. Not that I think Laporta will fall off. I offered Andrews for Laporta straight up around week 6-8 and got turned down. He's legit. Kelce is too old to take ahead of him. Andrews is banged up and a little older comparatively. I think McBride can have the same upside, but Laporta is a bit younger and wasted no time making an impact. Kincaid doesn't have the same upside IMO. Pitts/Bowers theoretically have the same upside...

I think Pitts is hurt by being played like a WR too often. Playing him as an actual TE puts him vs LB's and Safeties, where his speed can really stretch, expose a D. Pitts going up vs corners is a size mismatch, but not a speed mismatch, and I think that's under utilized. I still think Pitts is legit. He's 23, and this is basically his floor. Hopefully he gets traded, or the Falcons somehow blow their cupcake schedule, and Smith gets canned. TBH, their schedule was one of the easiest in recent memory, factoring in things like Cousins being out etc. He's not a good coach. He's a guy who runs a system, and puts players in it, he can't effectively look at a player's skills and create something new based on that, he tries to fit people in to what his system is, he lacks vision to expand his own play design, based on the talent he has. My opinion, anyway.

I like Hock a lot, but no chance I'd move him for Laporta. 4 years is a lot of time in football. This is Hock's ceiling IMO, and it may be Laporta's, but he's got a lot more years, theoretically. Their points are so similar, I'm all about the age gap, here, but I get it.

[FantasyFreak]

BEAST.

[j4pac]

Yeah I think I'd still give Hock the edge based on track record. Not that I think Laporta will fall off. I offered Andrews for Laporta straight up around week 6-8 and got turned down. He's legit. Kelce is too old to take ahead of him. Andrews is banged up and a little older comparatively. I think McBride can have the same upside, but Laporta is a bit younger and wasted no time making an impact. Kincaid doesn't have the same upside IMO. Pitts/Bowers theoretically have the same upside...

I think Pitts is hurt by being played like a WR too often. Playing him as an actual TE puts him vs LB's and Safeties, where his speed can really stretch, expose a D. Pitts going up vs corners is a size mismatch, but not a speed mismatch, and I think that's under utilized. I still think Pitts is legit. He's 23, and this is basically his floor. Hopefully he gets traded, or the Falcons somehow blow their cupcake schedule, and Smith gets canned. TBH, their schedule was one of the easiest in recent memory, factoring in things like Cousins being out etc. He's not a good coach. He's a guy who runs a system, and puts players in it, he can't effectively look at a player's skills and create something new based on that, he tries to fit people in to what his system is, he lacks vision to expand his own play design, based on the talent he has. My opinion, anyway.

I like Hock a lot, but no chance I'd move him for Laporta. 4 years is a lot of time in football. This is Hock's ceiling IMO, and it may be Laporta's, but he's got a lot more years, theoretically. Their points are so similar, I'm all about the age gap, here, but I get it.

That’s because he’s as skinny as a WR