Harold Fannin Jr. or Sam LaPorta: Toss-Up — Week 1 Start/Sit Verdict

Too close to call — the edges cancel out.

Harold Fannin Jr. and Sam LaPorta grade out even this week. Fannin's best edge is availability (a clean report to LaPorta's Q), LaPorta's best edge is the game script (27.8 implied points to 16.5) — and they cancel out. Start whichever player's game you trust more this week.

Harold Fannin Jr.

TE5CLEvs JAX

6.28.611.1 Projected Points

Start

Sam LaPorta

TE6DETvs NO

6.58.711.0 Projected Points

Start· medium

Why Harold Fannin Jr.

Start

TE1 and high-volume receiving target. Move tight end and mismatch chess piece with YAC ability.

Start — every-week TE start at consensus TE5: JAX is the 9th-softest matchup vs TEs, 16.5 implied team total caps the ceiling.

JAX ranks 24 of 32 against TEs (one of the softer matchups, 0-game sample).
Vegas implies 16.5 team points as 7.5-point underdogs.
Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 76% snap share in 2025.

Why Sam LaPorta

Start· medium

TE1 and pass-catching mismatch. Reliable seam and intermediate target when healthy.

TE6 with a 91% snap share and 17% target share on a 27.8-point implied total — if LaPorta clears his questionable tag, he's an easy TE1 play.

Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
NO ranks 13 of 32 against TEs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 0-game sample).
Vegas implies 27.8 team points as 7.0-point favorites.
Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 91% snap share in 2025.

The call

Role is locked in: 91% snap share and a 17% target share over nine games is TE1 volume, and the consensus TE6 rank with 11.0 projected points backs it up.
Detroit carries a 27.8 implied total as a 7-point favorite — plenty of scoring chances, and LaPorta is a red-zone factor in that offense rather than a garbage-time-dependent piece.
The DvP composite of 13 of 32 reads slightly tough, but it comes off a 0-game sample with 0.00 confidence, so it shouldn't move the needle.
Only real risk is the questionable designation — confirm he's active pregame and have a bench TE warm, otherwise he's in the lineup.

Latest on LaPorta

Lions safeties Branch, Joseph expected to return after PUP stints

Lions starting safeties Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee), who will both miss the first four games of the season, are expected to return at some point, according to GM Brad Holmes

ESPN · Sep 2, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

Metric	Harold Fannin Jr.	Sam LaPorta
Projected points	6.28.611.1	6.58.711.0
Consensus rank	TE5	TE6
Opponent vs position	JAX · 24 of 320-game sample	NO · 13 of 320-game sample
Receptions	26 of 32	14 of 32
Receiving Yards	22 of 32	14 of 32
Receiving TDs	21 of 32	9 of 32
Targets	31 of 32	18 of 32
Anytime TD	20 of 32	9 of 32
Target share	22%(2025)	17%(2025)
Reception share	24%(2025)	19%(2025)
Implied total · spread	16.5+7.5	27.8-7.0
Depth chart	TE1	TE1
Snap share	76%(2025)	91%(2025)
Injury designation	—	Q