Jacory Croskey-Merritt or Sam LaPorta: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 4 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Start LaPorta — the consensus rank and snap share edges are too wide to ignore.

Sam LaPorta is the higher consensus play (TE8 to RB41) and plays a 90% snap share to Croskey-Merritt's 48%. Croskey-Merritt's edge is the matchup, 24 of 32 to 18. The gap is comfortable.

In standard scoring this is a coin flip.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Jacory Croskey-Merritt

RB41WSHvs IND

Projected Points

Toss-Up· low
Sam LaPorta

Sam LaPorta

TE8DETvs CAR

Projected Points

Start· high

Jacory Croskey-Merritt’s market

RUSH YDS
O/U 58.5
-115 / -115
Rushing Yards Props →
REC
O/U 1.5
+122 / -155
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 5.5
-113 / -113
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+100
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Sam LaPorta’s market

REC
O/U 4.5
+113 / -144
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 49.5
-114 / -110
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+190
Anytime Touchdown Props →
IND@
WSHSun, Oct 4, 9:30 AM ETView the game →
DET@
CARSun, Oct 4, 8:20 PM ETView the game →

Why Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Toss-Up· low

Lead back and volume runner. Decisive one-cut rusher with tackle-breaking contact balance; limited passing-game work.

26.0 implied total and a softish IND matchup (24 of 32) give TD equity, but a 48% snap share, 3% target share and RB41 rank cap his PPR floor.

  • IND ranks 24 of 32 against RBs (one of the softer matchups, 3-game sample).
  • Vegas implies 26.0 team points as 1.5-point favorites.
  • Listed RB on the latest depth chart with a 48% snap share.

The call

  • Game environment helps: a 26.0 implied team total as a 1.5-point favorite points to scoring chances and a neutral-to-positive script for early-down work.
  • IND rates 24 of 32 against RBs, on the softer side. That composite rests on a 3-game sample at 0.25 confidence, so it shouldn't carry much weight.
  • Usage is the problem in PPR. A 48% snap share means he's splitting the backfield, and a 3% target share gives him almost no receiving floor, so his 11.1-point projection leans heavily on rushing volume and touchdowns.
  • What tips it: start him as a FLEX if your alternative is a low-volume WR or a committee back in a weaker offense. Sit him if you have a receiver or pass-catching back with a steady target share.

Why Sam LaPorta

Start· high

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

TE8 with a 90% snap share and 18% target share in a 25.3-point implied offense — locked-in volume at a thin position.

  • CAR ranks 18 of 32 against TEs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 3-game sample).
  • Vegas implies 25.3 team points as 3.0-point favorites.
  • Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 90% snap share.

The call

  • Role is as secure as it gets at tight end: 90% of snaps through three games (corroborated by ESPN) and an 18% target share give him a reliable weekly floor.
  • Game environment is favorable. Detroit's 25.3 implied team total and -3.0 spread point to a productive, neutral-to-positive script with red-zone chances.
  • The CAR matchup is middling at 18 of 32 vs the position, and that rests on a 3-game sample with 0.25 confidence. It neither boosts nor hurts him much.
  • At 11.2 projected PPR points and TE8, he clears typical replacement-level tight ends comfortably. Confirming the model's start-lean.

Latest on LaPorta

Role

LaPorta has played about 90% of Detroit's offensive snaps through three games.

Sources: Sam LaPorta, Lions break off contract talksESPN · Oct 4, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricJacory Croskey-MerrittSam LaPorta
Projected points
Consensus rankRB41TE8
Opponent vs positionIND · 24 of 323-game sampleCAR · 18 of 323-game sample
Rushing Yards27 of 32—
Rushing TDs29 of 32—
Rushing Attempts21 of 32—
Receptions15 of 328 of 32
Receiving Yards29 of 3211 of 32
Anytime TD25 of 3226 of 32
Receiving TDs—27 of 32
Targets—16 of 32
Target share3%18%
Reception share5%18%
Implied total · spread26.0-1.525.3-3.0
Depth chartRB1TE1
Snap share48%90%
Start/Sit record0–0+1 toss-up1–2

Recent form

Jacory Croskey-Merritt — last 3 weeks

Week 3vs SEA
Week 2vs DAL
Week 1vs PHI

Sam LaPorta — last 3 weeks

Week 3vs NYJ
Week 2vs BUF
Week 1vs NO

Signal breakdown

  • 11.1 vs 11.2 projected PPR pointsSam LaPorta +
  • Rank 41 vs 8Sam LaPorta +
  • Opponent DvP rank 24 vs 18 (32 = softest)Jacory Croskey-Merritt +
  • Implied 26.0 vs 25.3 team pointsJacory Croskey-Merritt +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 48% vs 90% snap shareSam LaPorta +

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