TE · DET · #87
Sam LaPorta
- Height
- HT 6'3"
- Weight
- WT 245 lbs
- Birth date
- Jan 12, 2001 (age 25.8)
- College
- Iowa
2025 stopped at 9 games; staying on the field is the swing factor.
Dynasty Value Score (DVS)
6,451
Range 5,411–6,467
Based on 2025 production and our 2026 projection In-season usage moved the score inside this range.
Proven TE in his prime — production and runway both hold.
DVS is our model view, scored on Engine-default half-PPR — not a guaranteed price in your league. Bye weeks and schedule strength are left out on purpose.
2026 total FP
63.1 pts
12.6 PPG
27 rec · 316 rec yds · 3 rec TD
Week 6 projection
Bye
No game this week
Dynasty Value Score over time
History starts Preseason 2026.
Player quality
Why this DVS moved off a raw projection.
Durability ×0.98
One recent short season (games missed). Production already saw the missed games — this is forward risk only.
Process ×0.99
Process residual (not a second production percentile).
Org environment ×1.01
Team pass/rush volume vs league — scheme residual, not a second projection.
Quick answer
Buy lowLaPorta caught 27 passes for 316 yards in 2026, ranking TE3 through 5 games. TE3 through 5 games is the running rank, next to a TE27 season. Played a short 2025 (9 games) — health is the nearer question than talent. That's a buy-low window if the price still reflects the rough year, not the recovery.
NextDyne coverage
Dynasty notes from our blog that mention Sam LaPorta.
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Kyle Pitts was a trade candidate heading into 2025, then finished TE2 and signed a record extension. Here's an honest look at whether the breakout sticks.
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Is Mark Andrews Droppable Heading Into His Age-31 Season?
Mark Andrews fell from TE5 to TE16 in 2025, yet Baltimore just signed him to a real extension mid-decline. Here's an honest look at his dynasty value.
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Is T.J. Hockenson Still a Top-5 Dynasty TE?
Kyler Murray just won the Vikings' starting job over J.J. McCarthy. Here's what it means for T.J. Hockenson's dynasty value after two down years.
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Did Sam LaPorta's Dynasty Stock Fall Too Far?
Sam LaPorta's 2025 ended with back surgery. The latest board has him at 6,177 DVS — fourth among tight ends — not a TE27 dump, and not the old tie at the top.
- StrategyNextDyne
Is Trey McBride Worth Trading Up For in Dynasty?
Trey McBride set the NFL's single-season tight end reception record in 2025, yet his dynasty value trails Brock Bowers and Sam LaPorta. Here's why.
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Is Tyler Warren the Rookie TE Breakout Everyone's Missing?
Warren finished TE5 as a rookie on pure receiving efficiency, then Indy handed him every target Michael Pittman left behind. Here's the buy case.
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Is Brock Bowers a Top-5 Dynasty Pick in 2026?
Brock Bowers fell from TE1 to TE9 in 2025, but a knee injury tells most of that story. Here's why his dynasty value bounces back in 2026.
2026 fantasy highlights
Half-PPR points
63.1
PPG
12.6
Rank so far
TE3
Key stats
- Rec: 27 (TE4)
- Rec yds: 316 (TE1)
- Rec TD: 3 (TE5)
2026 week shape
0/5 Boom 0%
0/5 Bust 0%
Boom is 20+ half-PPR. Bust is under 5.
Career (Half-PPR)
| Season | Finish | Half-PPR FP | PPG | Rec | Rec yd | Rec TD | Rush yd | Rush TD | Pass yd | Pass TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | TE3so far | 63.1 | 12.6 | 27 | 316 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 2025 | TE27 | 86.9 | 9.7 | 40 | 489 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | TE7 | 144.6 | 9.0 | 60 | 726 | 7 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | TE1 | 196.3 | 11.5 | 86 | 889 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — |
Career arc
Dashed bar is the 2026 Engine projection, not a completed season.
Recent games (2026)
| Week | Half-PPR FP | Opp | Script | Rec | Rush | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 W5 | 17.3 | ARI | 62 plays · 48% pass | 88 / 1 TD · 5 rec | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 W4 | 18.4 | CAR | 67 plays · 78% pass | 84 / 1 TD · 8 rec | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 W3 | 5.9 | NYJ | 62 plays · 52% pass | 44 · 3 rec | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 W2 | 14.2 | BUF | 58 plays · 66% pass | 52 / 1 TD · 6 rec | 0 | 0 |
| 2026 W1 | 7.3 | NO | 72 plays · 54% pass | 48 · 5 rec | 0 | 0 |
Weekly Half-PPR
Hover a week for the total.
Week 5 Engine grade
Projected 11.7 · scored 17.3 half-PPR · outside the floor–ceiling band. Miss -5.6.
Those opponents
Pass yards they allowed per game in 2026, vs league. Plus is easier.
- ARI+8% · 252 pass yards
- CAR+4% · 243 pass yards
- NYJ-17% · 195 pass yards
- BUF+26% · 296 pass yards
- NO-3% · 228 pass yards
Usage and availability
Snap share
2025 offense · 90.7% mean
target share
Hover a week for the share.
Pass-play participation
92.7%
2025· share of the team’s dropback plays this player was on the field for. Presence, not a charted route rate.
Advanced (2025)
- Broken tackles
- 5
- Avg depth of target
- 5.7
- Drop %
- 0.0%
Durability
- 202416 G · 1 Out
- 20259 G · 1 Out
- 20265 G
- 15.5 projected games — injury history is priced as risk, not a short slate.
R2 (34 overall) TE · that slot hit at 38.5% in 2010–2023 classes (n=26; contributor 53.8%). Window is the first three NFL seasons.
Next Gen Stats
2026 season to date · Next Gen Stats · ranks among NGS sample Full table
- Separation
- 3.49yd
- Cushion
- 5.69yd
- YAC above expected
- 0.01yd
- Air yards share
- 17.6%
12th of 30
14th of 30
19th of 30
9th of 30
Historical comps
Similar age, draft capital, and role — context for outcome bands, not a second DVS.
FAQ
- What is Sam LaPorta's dynasty value on NextDyne?
- LaPorta scores 6,451 out of 10,000. The score blends 2025 production with our 2026 projection. Superflex and TE Premium shift the rankings; the trade calculator shows how.
- What is Sam LaPorta's 2026 Engine Projection?
- We project 10.7 half-PPR points per game for 2026. That rate feeds Value Score — multiply by games and your league’s scoring if you want a season total.
- How are season fantasy points calculated on this page?
- Season totals and the recent game log use Half-PPR so every public profile matches our Engine board. A boom week is 20+ half-PPR; a bust is under 5. Your league’s scoring shows up inside the app.
- Should I trade for Sam LaPorta in dynasty right now?
- That's a buy-low window if the price still reflects the rough year, not the recovery. Run the actual numbers on the dynasty trade calculator before you commit — stance is a starting point, not a price.