Detroit Lions fans and fantasy managers got a scare last Sunday when star tight end Sam LaPorta was carted off the field just before halftime of Detroit’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. What is LaPorta’s injury, and is he at risk of missing tonight’s “Monday Night Football” game against the Seattle Seahawks?
Lions Tight End Sam LaPorta’s Status For Week 4
The Lions went up 20-10 on the Cardinals after executing a hook-and-ladder play that led to a lateral from wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown to running back Jahmyr Gibbs. Unfortunately, LaPorta got injured on the play while blocking, as he appeared to get his right ankle rolled up by a Cardinals defender.
#Lions with the perfectly executed hook and ladder…except for the end of the play when Sam LaPorta gets rolled up on. 🫤pic.twitter.com/NU9JMFjO95
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) September 22, 2024
LaPorta was carted to Detroit’s locker room just before halftime. He returned at the start of the third quarter, but played just a handful of snaps before limping off the field again and pulling himself out of the game.
The Lions subsequently announced LaPorta was questionable to return with an ankle injury. After Detroit’s win, head coach Dan Campbell specified that the second-team All-Pro is dealing with a sprained ankle.
While LaPorta missed practice on Thursday, he was able to get in a full practice on Friday and Campbell told reporters that LaPorta will be “good to go” for tonight’s game against Seattle.
Fantasy Outlook of LaPorta’s Injury
Let’s be honest: with how high you drafted LaPorta, there’s no way you’re benching the star tight end now that he’s suiting up.
While LaPorta has struggled through the first three weeks of the season, the hope is that he can start producing from a fantasy standpoint since his role is nearly identical to what we saw from him last year. Last year, he had a 83.1% snap share compared to a 76.9% snap share this year. Also, his per-target production has been fine (0.08% over expectation).
The issue is he just hasn’t been able to earn opportunities at the same rate he did as a rookie, due in part to Jameson Williams breaking out and emerging as a top-tier WR2.
Fortunately for LaPorta owners, this isn’t the best matchup for Williams. Opponents are 4 of 14 for 76 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions when throwing deep against Seattle this season. The Seahawks are creating pressure on 44.2% of opponent dropbacks (third highest), making it tough to execute those bombs.
That means LaPorta could receive more targets than usual and play a huge role in Detroit’s game-plan. Through three weeks, LaPorta has just one top-15 fantasy finish. Don’t be surprised if he delivers his best fantasy performance of this season tonight against Seattle — even better than his TE7 finish from Week 1.