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    Twentyman: LaPorta ‘terrific’ in camp

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    DET Tight End #87
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    DetroitLions.com’s Tim Twentyman reports Sam LaPorta has been “terrific” in training camp.

    LaPorta, operating over the middle as a trusted target for Jared Goff, has shown “just how much Detroit missed him the second half of the 2025 season after he suffered a back injury,” Twentyman said. “He’s been terrific throughout the start of camp. In an early practice team period, Goff found LaPorta down the left seam for a big gain down to the nine-yard-line. The next play was a touchdown pass to LaPorta over the middle. That’s been a common occurrence all through camp.” LaPorta managed just 40 receptions in 2025 while missing eight games with a lingering back issue that required surgery in November. He set career marks last year in receiving success rate (69 percent) and yards per catch (12.2). LaPorta was targeted on 21 percent of his routes, the second highest mark on the team.
Are Browns competitors or contenders now 3-1?
Dan and the Danettes debate if the Cleveland Browns are "competitors or contenders" after their Week 4 win and discuss the heated exchange between Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy.

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  • DET Tight End #87
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    LaPorta was a secondary piece of the passing attack in this game, taking a backseat to Jhamyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown. The two superstars combined for 16 targets while LaPorta and Jameson Williams were held to a combined eight looks. LaPorta has at least 44 yards in every game this year but no more than 52. With a solid floor established, all that’s left is for LaPorta to hit on a ceiling game. He remains a mid-range TE1 for Week 4 against the Panthers.
  • DET Tight End #87
    LaPorta combined with Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs to be the primary targets for quarterback Jared Goff on a night where relentless pressure from the Bills forced the offense to primarily attack the intermediate areas of the field. That could be the norm for this offense moving forward considering the mounting injuries along their offensive line, which are likely to be felt the most against opponents with a legitimate pass rush. That may not be the case in Week 3 when the Lions host the Jets, a team that is likely to also utilize elevated rates of zone coverage. LaPorta has had stark man-zone splits throughout his career and could see less volume due to matchup. He’ll be a low-end TE1 against the Jets.
  • DET Tight End #87
    Week 1 was business as usual for LaPorta, who finished second on the team in catches and yards. After missing time in the offseason recovering from a season-ending back injury and later a minor hip issue, this goes down as a big win for the young tight end, even if fantasy managers aren’t thrilled with his score. LaPorta will project for TE1 numbers when the Lions take on the Ravens next week.
  • DET Tight End #87
    Schefter was exploring extension possibilities across the NFL with colleague Pat McAfee and noted that the Lions have a propensity for signing players to extensions in-season. The stud tight end spent the offseason rehabbing after undergoing back surgery. Perhaps the front office just wants to make sure LaPorta returns to his pre-injury form this month before signing him to a lucrative deal. He is scheduled to enter free agency next offseason. Signing him to a long-term deal makes sense. He is a locked-in TE1 this season.
  • DET Tight End #87
    LaPorta’s hip issue no longer appears to be a concern. The 25-year-old has continued practicing as the week progresses. He was out there catching passes from QB Jared Goff during Friday’s scrimmage. LaPorta is a locked-in TE1, playing in what should be one of the NFL’s highest-scoring offenses this season.
  • DET Quarterback #16
    The Lions are retaining “all” of last year’s play-calling verbiage, and “it was on Drew Petzing to learn the offense,” not the other way around. Goff apparently “had as much of a hand in getting Petzing familiar with the offense as the offensive staff did.” Mays believes these developments speak to the command, agency and autonomy that Goff possesses at this stage in his career. We agree. For those who were concerned about the Lions scrapping the tactics that coach Dan Campbell employed as the Lions’ play caller in Weeks 10-18 last year, it sounds like those concepts aren’t going anywhere. Will Petzing be allowed to add his own elements to that playbook? Yes, we assume so. At the end of the day, this year’s offense could look a lot like last year’s fantasy-friendly unit, though. Draft accordingly.
  • DET Tight End #87
    LaPorta mysteriously missed practice on Wednesday. Lions HC Dan Campbell told reporters Thursday that the 25-year-old tight end is dealing with a hip injury. They’re letting him rest. Campbell told reporters he doesn’t believe it’s a long-term injury and that LaPorta could be ready for the start of the regular season, but he isn’t sure. Already coming off a back injury that required season-ending surgery last year, LaPorta has picked up another red flag with a preseason injury.
  • DET Tight End #87
    Just last week, we received word that LaPorta has been having a “terrific” training camp. He suffered a season-ending back injury last year, which ultimately required surgery. While the surprise absence is somewhat concerning, this could simply be LaPorta taking a veteran rest day in the middle of the week. This is worth tracking, but not worth worrying about at this time.
  • DET Tight End #87
    LaPorta underwent surgery last year for a herniated disc, ending his 2025 season early. The surgery seems to have fixed the issue as Fowler reports the 25-year-old was “fully cleared earlier this month.” With training camp coming up, this is a good sign for LaPorta to be a full participant. The Lions will need him healthy to learn the offense under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing before the season starts.
  • DET Tight End #87
    It’s a good sign. There’s no reason for the Lions to push LaPorta at this point after having surgery on his back in November. Detroit is taking the cautious approach with the 25-year-old tight end, holding him out of positional and team drills. Ideally, LaPorta will be ready for next month’s training camp.

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    Seahawks owner Vinod Khosla said he has “no current plans to change anything about the team, including the coach, president, operation or Lumen Field.”

    Axios’ Dan Primack reminded Khosla of his stated desire to preserve what Paul Allen built before asking him if he would commit to keeping the Seahawks in Seattle long term. Khosla first responded by saying he would “never say never,” and then rhetorically wondered aloud whether this team would be in Seattle “500 years from now,” before making his “no current plans” remarks. Primack helpfully refocused the conversation on the Lumen Field lease’s 2032 end date, prompting Khosla to say that he doesn’t think he’ll “do anything but learn for a while.” Seriously entertaining a move seems unlikely, but Khosla would do well to provide a more concrete answer to a city that once saw its NBA team relocated after new ownership took over. His comments can be ignored for now. Perhaps this is just an early negotiation tactic for future stadium renovations.
  • LA Running Back #24
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    The Athletic’s Nate Atkins believes the Rams need more from Blake Corum in the coming weeks.

    Atkins believes Puka Nacua’s (groin) impending return will lighten the box, in turn making life easier on the run game and preventing the opposition from blitzing as frequently as the Broncos did last week. Corum has not established himself as a reliable weekly contributor in fantasy. Perhaps positive impacts from Nacua’s return trickle down to the Rams’ No. 2 running back. Kyren Williams remains a locked-in starter. Keep Corum stashed for now.
  • LA Defensive Tackle #99
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    NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Aaron Donald is dealing with a “mild” back injury.

    Rapoport also said Donald’s absence is more than just a precautionary measure, and compared his sidelining to the way the Rams handled Myles Garrett’s knee injury, with a long-term view in mind. Check back next week to see if Donald is feeling well enough to resume practicing.
  • CHI Quarterback #17
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    NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that QB Tyson Bagent is expected to start for the Bears in Week 4 against the Jets.

    Bagent signed a two-year, $10 million contract extension in August 2025 to serve as the Bears’ No. 2 quarterback. He took the majority of first-team reps this week despite QB3 Case Keenum’s Week 3 heroics. Bagent can be started in Superflex leagues against the Jets, assuming he is officially named the starter this weekend.
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    Derwin James (hamstring) is questionable to play in Week 4 against the Seahawks.

    James sandwiched a Thursday absence with two limited sessions. The veteran safety plays through injuries whenever possible, and the Chargers will need all hands on deck to get their season back on track.
  • SEA Running Back #26
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    Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said the team is making sure Zach Charbonnet (knee) “feels great when the time comes for him to come back.”

    The Seahawks opened Charbonnet’s practice window on Thursday, but he is not yet ready to return. Charbonnet’s left quad is noticeably thinner than his right quad, and Macdonald explained that there is “a process to get him physically and mentally ready to go.” That said, Macdonald also said the veteran running back “looks fantastic.” Stash him now.
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    Chiefs ruled out LT Josh Simmons (back) for Week 4 against the Raiders.

    Earlier this week, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Simmons is dealing with a bulging disc in his lower back. Brutal. On the plus side, CB Chamarri Conner (knee) will make his return.
  • DEN Wide Receiver #19
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    Marvin Mims (foot) was removed from the injury report and will play in Week 4 against the 49ers.

    Mims aggravated his foot injury back in Week 1 and has been inactive on game day since. The Broncos’ volatile performer is back, but is not on the FLEX radar in 12-team formats.
  • DEN Running Back #27
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    J.K. Dobbins (hip) was removed from the injury report and will play in Week 4 against the 49ers.

    Dobbins practiced in full this week, so he should be ready to handle his typical workload against the 49ers this week. The Broncos’ lead rusher has played very unproductively this season, failing to hit 7.0 PPR points each week. The Broncos’ defensive line has been hit hard by injuries. Perhaps Dobbins can steady himself in the RB2/FLEX ranks against them.
  • DEN Wide Receiver #17
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    Jaylen Waddle (foot) is not on the injury report for Week 4 against the 49ers.

    Waddle gave folks a fright, sporting a walking boot after the Broncos’ Week 3 win over the Rams. He practiced in full all week, though, so there are no concerns about his availability. Waddle is a WR2 against the 49ers in what should be a fantasy-friendly game environment.