After finishing as the top tight end back in 2023, LaPorta is finally back to generating excitement in 2026 now that Drew Petzing has been hired as offensive coordinator. You'll remember Petzing from his time with the Cardinals, where he turned Trey McBride into the overall TE1 in 2025 and one of the most consistent Fantasy producers over the last two seasons. Big-time volume is coming for LaPorta, who went from averaging over seven targets per game during that 2023 season to dipping below five per game in each of his last two seasons. The arrival of Petzing could lead to a career high in targets, and his touchdowns are likely to see positive regression after he scored just three last season. LaPorta is one of the highest-upside tight ends you can grab on draft day, and he could well exceed his price in Rounds 5-6.
Coach Dan Campbell said that LaPorta (back), who was a partial participant in Tuesday's mandatory minicamp practice, could be cleared for the start of training camp next month, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports. "We like where he's going," Campbell said of the tight end Tuesday. "He's trending the right way."
LaPorta, who underwent surgery this past November to address a herniated disc in his back, hasn't taken part in full-speed team drills this spring. However, the tight end did work with the Lions' first-team offense during the 25-minute jog-through portion of Tuesday's session before working off to the side with a trainer during seven-on-seven and position drills. As LaPorta progresses toward working fully coming training camp, Birkett adds that the 2023 second-rounder is expected to sign a contract extension with Detroit at some point this summer. Prior to his injury, LaPorta recorded a 40/489/3 receiving line (on 49 targets) in nine regular-season contests in 2025.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Practices Thursday
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LaPorta (back) participated in Detroit's second open practice of OTAs on Thursday, Tim Twentyman of detroitlions.com reports.
LaPorta didn't participate last week during the first OTA practice that was open to reporters, but it's possible he's been practicing behind closed doors. Now that reporters have spotted LaPorta on the field, it's clear he has at least some level of clearance for football activities, coming back from mid-November surgery on a herniated disc. LaPorta said in January that he expected to have full clearance before the start of training camp in late July.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Planning to be ready for camp
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LaPorta said Monday that he will enter the next phase of his rehab from back surgery this week and anticipates being fully cleared in advance of training camp, Richard Silva of The Detroit News reports.
The 24-year-old tight end ended up missing the Lions' final eight games of the season after he suffered a herniated disk in a Nov. 9 win over the Commanders. LaPorta said that he was initially hopeful to avoid a stint on injured reserve and return to action in 2-to-3 weeks after suffering the injury, but after further deliberation, he and the Lions decided that opting for surgery was the best long-term course of action. Six weeks removed from his procedure, LaPorta appears to be progressing as anticipated, and while he may not be ready to take contact in OTAs this spring, he expressed optimism that he'll be able to be "up, running around" during those workouts. LaPorta will be eligible for an extension when the new league year begins in March, and retaining the tight end on a long-term deal will likely be a priority for Detroit after he averaged 4.4 receptions and 50.1 receiving yards per game while scoring 20 total touchdowns in 42 appearances through his first three NFL seasons.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Still recovering from back surgery
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Coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday that LaPorta is "improving," but "he's not completely healed" from the back injury that forced him to injured reserve Nov. 15, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.
In the wake of LaPorta undergoing back surgery in mid-November, Campbell described the tight end's chances to return this season as "very, very slim," per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. As of this week with the Lions out of playoff contention, though, Campbell relayed that the team is hopeful LaPorta will be back by training camp in the summer, indicating his health concern was more serious than Detroit initially indicated. LaPorta, a 2023 second-round pick, will be entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract in 2026.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Slim chance of return this season
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LaPorta (back) has undergone surgery, and head coach Dan Campbell described LaPorta's chances of returning this season as "very, very slim" Friday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
LaPorta was placed on injured reserve Nov. 15. His earliest possible return date is Dec. 14, but Campbell's update suggests LaPorta will be out well beyond that point, most likely missing the remainder of the season. Campbell didn't completely shut the door on LaPorta returning, so the star tight end might make it back if the Lions put together a deep playoff run. Brock Wright and Ross Dwelley are the two remaining healthy options at the position on the active roster.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Gets moved to IR
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The Lions placed LaPorta (back) on injured reserve Saturday.
LaPorta thus will miss at least the next four games due to the back injury that didn't allow him to practice this week before Detroit ruled him out for Week 11 action Friday. His next chance to play will be Sunday, Dec. 14 at the Rams. In the meantime, Brock Wright (ankle) and Ross Dwelley will handle TE duties for the Lions.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Not expected to practice Friday
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LaPorta (back) isn't expected to practice Friday, Ben Raven of MLive.com reports.
LaPorta hasn't practiced at all this week, which led reporters to ask Lions coach Dan Campbell on Friday about his trust in backup tight end Brock Wright. Campbell responded, "Sky high," but he didn't shut the door on the possibility of LaPorta playing Sunday against the Eagles. It remains to be seen how the Lions list LaPorta on their final injury report Friday afternoon.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Still not practicing
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LaPorta (back) didn't practice Thursday.
LaPorta has yet to mix into any drills this week due to a back injury, leaving him just one more chance to do so Friday before the Lions potentially make a ruling on his status for Sunday's game at Philadelphia. Fellow TE Brock Wright (ankle) upgraded from no activity Wednesday to limited Thursday, while Ross Dwelley, the only other player at the position on the active roster, has avoided the Lions' Week 11 injury report entirely.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: DNP due to back injury
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LaPorta was a non-participant at Wednesday's practice due to a back injury.
Most Lions skill-position players take a back seat to RB Jahmyr Gibbs and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown in the pecking order for touches, but LaPorta still has put together a respectable 40-489-3 line on 49 targets through nine games this season. LaPorta will have two more opportunities to practice during Week 11 prep, but if he isn't able to participate Thursday or Friday, he could be at risk of missing his first contest of the campaign and second game overall in his two-plus years as a pro.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Perfect on five targets
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LaPorta recorded five receptions on five targets for 53 yards in Sunday's 44-22 win over the Commanders.
LaPorta finished third on the team in targets behind both Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown, though he still managed to record at least five catches for the fourth time in his last five games. LaPorta logged a pair of 14-yard catches to account for most of his production, and he's now topped 50 receiving yards four times in the same five-game span. He'll remain a consistent part of the Detroit offense, but his upside will be limited on many occasions by St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Season-best effort in win
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LaPorta brought in six of eight targets for 97 yards and a touchdown in the Lions' 27-24 loss to the Vikings on Sunday.
LaPorta tied for the team lead in receiving yards with a total that was also a season-high figure, and he checked in second in both receptions and targets. The talented tight end also rang up his third touchdown of the season -- all which have come within the last four games -- on a 40-yard grab to close out the opening possession of the contest. LaPorta has a solid 35-436-3 receiving line and at least five catches in three of the past four games heading into a Week 10 road matchup against the Commanders.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Low volume on MNF
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LaPorta finished with three receptions on as many targets for 15 yards in Monday's 24-9 win over the Buccaneers.
LaPorta came out of Monday's primetime matchup with his worst receiving line of the season. The 24-year-old's targets and yardage both represented new lows in seven starts this year. LaPorta's dud comes on the heels of the tight end's best two fantasy outings in which he scored a touchdown apiece, so managers should hang tight through the Lions' upcoming bye week. Detroit resumes play against Minnesota on Sunday, Nov. 2 in Week 9.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Best performance of 2025
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LaPorta recorded five receptions on six targets for 92 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 37-24 win over the Bengals.
LaPorta made a quick impact in Sunday's blowout win, logging a 22-yard reception on the third play of the game before capping the drive with an athletic 10-yard catch and run that resulted in a touchdown. His longest gain of the day came early in the third quarter and went for 39 yards -- nearly entirely after the catch. LaPorta entered Sunday's contest having been held under 40 yards in three straight games, so his highest yardage total and first touchdown of the season came at a needed time.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Minimal production again
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LaPorta recorded three receptions on four targets for 39 yards in Sunday's 34-10 win over the Browns.
LaPorta remained a top priority in the Detroit offense -- he finished third on the team in targets behind only Amon-Ra St. Brown (seven) and Jameson Williams (eight) -- but he turned in another underwhelming performance. Despite logging a reception of 27 yards just before halftime, he now has less than 40 receiving yards in three of four games this season. LaPorta has also yet to score, with St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs instead dominating touches near the end zone.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Four catches in win
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LaPorta caught all four of his targets for 33 yards in Monday's 38-30 win over the Ravens.
LaPorta remained somewhat quiet Week 3, finishing third on the team in catches, targets and receiving yards. The tight end has still yet to find the end zone, though he's seen three red-zone targets over three games. Through three weeks, he's compiled 13 receptions (on 17 targets) for 138 yards. LaPorta will look to find pay dirt Week 4 against the Browns, who have allowed two touchdowns to tight ends so far this season.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Leads Detroit pass catchers
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LaPorta recorded six receptions on nine targets for 79 yards in Sunday's 27-13 loss to the Packers.
LaPorta was the bright spot in an otherwise underwhelming offensive performance from Detroit, as he led the team in yards and finished second in targets. He also accounted for the team's longest play from scrimmage on a 32-yard catch and run to begin the second half. LaPorta isn't likely to consistently see nine targets as he shares looks with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, but he will be a key part of Detroit's offense -- particularly in the red zone.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Back to full strength
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LaPorta (undisclosed) wasn't listed on the Lions' practice estimate Wednesday.
Like most of the Lions' key players, LaPorta didn't play in the preseason, but he also tended to an undisclosed injury in mid-August. He's been back on the practice field since Aug. 19, though, and now is poised to resume his standing as the team's No. 1 TE, which equated to 60 catches (on 83 targets) for 726 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season games in 2024.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Dealing with minor injury
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Lions coach Dan Campbell said Thursday that LaPorta will "miss a little bit of time" with a minor injury, Richard Silva of The Detroit News reports.
LaPorta isn't practicing Thursday and presumably won't play in Saturday's preseason game against the Dolphins. Campbell didn't provide details on the injury, only saying that it's nothing major and LaPorta will miss some practice time. The tight end otherwise seems to have been a full participant in Detroit's offseason program and training camp.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: High hopes for new Lions OC
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LaPorta said Wednesday that new Lions offensive coordinator John Morton has a "brilliant mind" and should do a great job calling plays, NFL.com's Kevin Patra reports.
This is LaPorta's first time working with Morton, who was an assistant on Ben Johnson's staff in 2022. Morton was Denver's passing-game coordinator the past two years before circling back to Detroit to replace Johnson this winter. The Lions also lost starting center Frank Ragnow (retired) and right guard Keven Zeitler (Titans) this offseason, but they retained all their key skill-position players -- an impressive group led by LaPorta, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB David Montgomery, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and WR Jameson Williams. The tough competition likely means LaPorta will see less volume than what he's capable of handling after dropping from 120 targets as a rookie in 2023 to just 83 targets over 16 regular-season games in 2024. He had six or fewer targets in each of his first eight games last season, but he then got six or more targets in nine straight contests to close out the season (including the playoffs), with six TDs during that stretch.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Seven catches in Week 18 win
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LaPorta caught all seven of his targets for 63 yards in Sunday's 31-9 win over the Vikings.
LaPorta tied his season high in catches, though he failed to score after producing four touchdowns in the previous five games. The second-year tight end rebounded from a slow start to finish the regular season with 60 catches for 726 yards and seven touchdowns on 83 targets. Those numbers are all down significantly from LaPorta's 86-catch, 10-touchdown rookie regular season, but all will be forgiven if LaPorta steps up in the postseason. The top-seeded Lions will open the playoffs with a bye before hosting a game in the NFC divisional round.
