As of September 1st, Sam LaPorta is being drafted as the 25th player in Round 3 Yahoo ADP. He is being drafted as the 1st player at the tight end position.
*Check out the full Yahoo ADP at 4for4!*
Round 3 Yahoo ADP:
# | Player | Team |
1 | Brandon Aiyuk | 49ers |
2 | Travis Kelce | Chiefs |
3 | Cooper Kupp | Rams |
4 | Deebo Samuel | 49ers |
5 | Nico Collins | Texans |
6 | Sam LaPorta | Lions |
7 | Josh Allen | Bills |
8 | D.J. Moore | Bears |
9 | Michael Pittman Jr. | Colts |
10 | Josh Jacobs | Packers |
11 | DK Metcalf | Seahawks |
12 | Jaylen Waddle | Dolphins |
According to current 4for4 Half-PPR Rankings, these players are going too high in Round 3 Yahoo ADP:
Michael Pittman Jr. Outlook – After 88-1082-6 in 2021 (WR21) and 99-925-4 in 2022 (WR23), Michael Pittman turned in 109-1152-4 (WR16) last season.
He only played two full-ish games (95%+ snaps) with Anthony Richardson and posted 8-97-1 on 11 targets and 1-15 on five targets in those two contests. Richardson did target Pittman on 26.2% of his pass attempts, but he only averaged 6.46 yards per attempt on those targets.
There’s no doubt that Pittman is talented, and Richardson was better than expected as a thrower, but his return adds an element of unpredictability when it comes to forecasting Pittman. In roughly 2.6 games of action, Richardson was on pace for about 222 yards and 1.15 touchdowns per game.
On the flip side, Gardner Minshew averaged 229 yards and 1.08 touchdowns in his 13 full games as the starter, so maybe the difference isn’t so stark.
According to current 4for4 Half-PPR Rankings, these players are going too low in Round 3 Yahoo ADP:
Sam LaPorta Outlook – Sam LaPorta finished as the fantasy TE1 as a rookie, which is an incredible accomplishment given the history of rookies at the position. It’s unusual for rookie tight ends to find immediate success, but LaPorta posted 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Those were the most catches, the second-most yards (to Kyle Pitts), and the most touchdowns (tied with Rob Gronkowski) among rookie tight ends since 2003. LaPorta’s position-leading 196.3 half-PPR fantasy points were just the 19th-most by a tight end since 2010.
He’s a good bet to repeat as the TE1 since he should only get better in his second season, and his excellent environment in the Detroit offense is unchanged.
Josh Allen Outlook – Josh Allen finished as the QB1 last year after finishing QB2 in 2022. He’s currently the first quarterback off the board, which is a bit surprising since he’s lost both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis this offseason.
They have been replaced by Curtis Samuel and second-round pick Keon Coleman, so it looks like a downgrade in the receiver room. The other variable is Joe Brady as offensive coordinator. In nine games under Brady (including two playoff games), Allen averaged 233 yards and 1.56 touchdowns, with 47 yards and 1.22 touchdowns as a runner.
*Check out the full set 4for4’s award-winning Half-PPR fantasy football Rankings, customized for your Yahoo league here*
Why you should be drafting Sam LaPorta before Yahoo ADP in 2024 Fantasy Football Leagues
Over the last decade, the tight end position in fantasy football has been notoriously difficult to predict. Maintaining elite, year-to-year production has been a challenge for all but a select few.
Travis Kelce has been the outlier, consistently finishing as the top tight end (TE1) year after year. However, for the majority of tight ends, especially those outside the established elite, sustaining such performance from one season to the next is rare.
Sam LaPorta, the rising star tight end, enters the 2024 season with significant momentum. Despite being a rookie, LaPorta quickly established himself as a key weapon in his team’s offense, showing a level of consistency that is uncommon for a first-year player at his position.
By the end of the 2023 season, he had firmly positioned himself as a reliable fantasy option.
From Weeks 12 through 18, LaPorta’s production surged, as he averaged 13.7 half-PPR points per game and found the end zone six times. This late-season breakout not only helped fantasy managers during crucial playoff weeks but also solidified his standing as one of the most promising young tight ends in the league.
As we look ahead to the 2024 fantasy football season, LaPorta is a player who could potentially build on his impressive rookie campaign.
While the tight end position can often be volatile, LaPorta’s combination of talent, opportunity, and late-season success makes him a strong candidate to break through the year-to-year inconsistency that plagues most tight ends.
Moreover, unlike some of the top-tier options who require a first-round pick, LaPorta offers high upside without the steep draft cost, making him an attractive target for fantasy managers looking to secure a reliable TE1 without sacrificing early draft capital.