Brenton Strange or Sam LaPorta: Who Should You Start?

Preliminary board

2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.

LaPorta's every-down role beats Strange's thinner path to volume

Start Sam LaPorta: his locked-in TE1 role makes this edge more meaningful than a typical small projection gap. Brenton Strange has genuine seam-target upside, but Jacksonville's lower-scoring environment and thinner involvement leave him needing a big play or touchdown, while LaPorta offers the sturdier PPR floor. The expected return of Branch and Joseph (ESPN 2026-09-02) is LaPorta's clearest risk, but it is more of a ceiling concern than a reason to bench him.

What flips it: A late change to LaPorta's expected full-time role.

Sources: ESPN · Sep 2, 2026

AI editor

Brenton Strange

Brenton Strange

TE19JAXvs DEN

Projected Points

Sit
Sam LaPorta

Sam LaPorta

TE8DETvs BUF

Projected Points

Start· high

Brenton Strange’s market

ATD
Anytime TD
+3300
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Sam LaPorta’s market

REC
O/U 4.5
+101 / -129
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 46.5
-114 / -114
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+205
Anytime Touchdown Props →
JAX@
DENSun, Sep 20, 4:05 PM ETView the game →
DET@
BUFThu, Sep 17, 8:15 PM ETView the game →

Why Brenton Strange

Sit

Starting TE and ascending pass-catcher. Athletic seam target with adequate in-line blocking.

Sit — bench-tier TE at consensus TE19: DEN is the 11th-toughest matchup vs TEs, 14% target share.

  • Strange's athletic seam profile offers touchdown upside, but Jacksonville's offense gives him little margin for a quiet target day.
  • Denver's tougher TE matchup is difficult for a thinner-volume option to overcome.

Why Sam LaPorta

Start· high

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

TE8 with a 21% target share and 81% snaps in a 24.8-point implied offense — LaPorta is a locked-in weekly starter regardless of a neutral matchup.

  • LaPorta's TE1/mismatch role can survive a neutral matchup because his routes are central to Detroit's passing plan.
  • His heavier involvement gives him multiple paths to production beyond a single deep catch or score.

The call

  • Role is everything at tight end and LaPorta's is elite: 81% snap share with a 21% target share makes him the clear No. 1 receiving option pattern in this offense.
  • Consensus has him TE8 at 11.1 projected points — that clears the bar for the TE slot in a 12-team PPR league without needing matchup help.
  • Buffalo grades middle of the pack against the position (16 of 32) on a one-game sample with zero confidence, so there is no matchup reason to fade him.
  • Detroit's 24.8 implied total with a 3-point spread points to a competitive, scoring game — the kind of script where LaPorta stays involved whether the Lions are chasing or protecting a lead.

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

MetricBrenton StrangeSam LaPorta
Projected points
Consensus rankTE19TE8
Opponent vs positionDEN · 11 of 321-game sampleBUF · 16 of 321-game sample
Receptions14 of 3229 of 32
Receiving Yards25 of 3221 of 32
Receiving TDs1 of 321 of 32
Targets15 of 3230 of 32
Anytime TD1 of 321 of 32
Target share14%21%
Reception share11%19%
Implied total · spread20.5+2.524.8+3.0
Depth chartTE1TE1
Snap share68%81%
Start/Sit record—0–1

Recent form

Brenton Strange — last 1 week

Week 1vs CLE

Sam LaPorta — last 1 week

Week 1vs NO

Signal breakdown

  • 8.0 vs 11.1 projected PPR pointsSam LaPorta +
  • Rank 19 vs 8Sam LaPorta +
  • Opponent DvP rank 11 vs 16 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 20.5 vs 24.8 team pointsSam LaPorta +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 68% vs 81% snap shareSam LaPorta +

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