Kyle Pitts Sr. or Sam LaPorta: Who Should You Start?

The call

• A 23% target share at tight end is elite-tier usage, and the 88% snap rate means Pitts is on the field for every situational package — that floor alone clears replacement level at a thin position.
• Consensus has him TE7 at 10.4 projected points; you are not finding a better option on the waiver wire in a 12-team league.
• The DvP composite lists Pittsburgh 27 of 32 (32 = softest), but it carries a 0-game sample and 0.00 confidence, so treat it as neutral rather than a bonus.
• The real drag is the 19.8 implied team total with a 3.0-point spread — a low-scoring script caps the ceiling, but the target volume protects the floor.

The call

• 11.0 projected points and a TE6 consensus rank put LaPorta well above replacement at a thin position; that's a lineup lock in a 12-team PPR when he's active.
• Role is bulletproof: 91% snap share and a 17% target share over nine games make him the clear pass-game centerpiece at tight end.
• Detroit's 27.8 implied total as a 7-point favorite means volume and red-zone looks even if the game script tilts run-heavy late.
• The only real wrinkle is the questionable designation and a New Orleans DvP that sits 13 of 32 — but that matchup grade carries a 0-game sample and 0.00 confidence, so it shouldn't move the needle. Confirm his status pregame.