Sam LaPorta included on list of safest fantasy draft picks for 2024

Sam LaPorta defied a lot of rookie tight end history to not only be useful in fantasy football last year, he finished as the overall TE1 across the most commonly-used scoring formats. The question as we get into this year is if he can repeat, and/or justify a lofty Average Draft Position (ADP) reflective of what he did last year.

LaPorta is dealing with what's being deemed a minor hamstring injury right now. It does seem to impacting his fantasy ADP just a little, or at least widening his range based on Fantasy Football Calculator ADP data.

Fantasy Pros' consensus ADP (Aug. 15) has LaPorta coming off the board at pick 26 (full PPR) or 27 (0.5-PPR and standard), as Travis Kelce is now edging him as the first tight end drafted.

Sam LaPorta tabbed as safest second-round pick in fantasy football drafts

Jonathan Macri of Pro Football Focus has named his safest picks in each of of the first six rounds of a fantasy draft heading into Week 2 of the preseason. Despite an ADP that is now widely edging into the third round, he has LaPorta as the safest pick in the second round.

"LaPorta is coming off a historic rookie season for a tight end, finishing as the overall TE1 on the year, as a significant part of the Lions' newly efficient offense that ranked as one of the best in the league in 2023. LaPorta’s role was not just as the go-to tight end in that offense, but he emerged as the second-best receiving threat on the offense behind only Amon-Ra St. Brown...."

"LaPorta’s 23.9% target rate for the year, including the playoffs, ranked third among tights end, ahead of even Travis Kelce....The Lions offense became very tight end-dependent in 2023, as Jared Goff targeted the position at a top-five rate (22.3%) among quarterbacks (min. 350 dropbacks). As a result, LaPorta delivered eight top-five weekly finishes at his position on the season – more than any other tight end, with three more inside the top 10. As a younger player, this is incredibly promising for his outlook this season to the point where him finishing no worse than top-five at his position again....that kind of floor makes him a very safe bet in the second round of fantasy drafts this year."

Where ADP sources have collected LaPorta going in fantasy drafts (and how that may or may not change) is ultimately inconsequential for individual drafters in their particular drafts. Those who want him know they are going to have to make a notable investment, probably among the top-30 to 35 overall players, knowing what the opportunity cost may be at another position.

LaPorta seems to have a narrow range of outcomes, with anything outside a finish as a top-five tight end (assuming health) feeling unlikely. So to Macri's point, however narrowed to the second round in his context, the Lions' tight end does land as a safe-looking pick in fantasy drafts.