Sam LaPorta - Fantasy Points Outlook

The Lions are signing TE Zach Ertz, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Ertz arrives as a fairly big name, but don't consider him a serious challenge to TE Sam LaPorta's outlook. Detroit suddenly finds weak depth at the position after losing Brock Wright to a forearm fracture in Sunday's win over the Buccaneers. The team previously placed TE James Mitchell on IR after he suffered a hand injury in practice ahead of the win over the Rams. Wright drew just 1 target before leaving Sunday's game, in which he played 30 snaps. No Lions TE besides LaPorta drew a target in the previous game, despite LaPorta being just a week removed from a knee injury.

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Lions TE Sam LaPorta (knee) is active for today's Divisional Round game vs. the Bucs. He suggested on Friday that his knee is feeling better now than it did last week. LaPorta still isn't at 100% but has plenty of fantasy upside vs. Tampa Bay's 27th-ranked TE defense.

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Lions TE Sam LaPorta (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's Divisional Round game vs. the Bucs. He was limited in the final two practices of the week, but it sounds like that was part of a maintenance plan as he works back from that knee injury. "The trusting of my knee has progressed quite a bit," LaPorta said Friday. "Just reaching and planting for cuts. Certainly, the achiness has progressed. Just trying to make it feel better all week. Get the right amount of work but not too much at the same time." LaPorta still won't be at 100% on Sunday -- but he should be closer than he was for last week's win over the Rams.

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Lions HC Dan Campbell said Wednesday that TE Sam LaPorta (knee) is "coming along" in his recovery from a Week 18 knee injury. "He's gotten better," Campbell added. "He feels better than he did this time last week. It's encouraging." LaPorta drew just three targets in the Wild Card win over the Rams. But he scored a TD, played 80% of the offensive snaps, and ran a route on 80% of pass plays. We'll track his practice participation this week, leading up to Sunday's game against the Bucs' 27th-ranked TE defense.

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