Pat Freiermuth or Sam LaPorta: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

LaPorta’s every-down role makes him the stronger TE start

LaPorta’s edge is meaningful at tight end: his heavier involvement and Detroit’s healthier scoring setup give him more ways to deliver than Freiermuth has. Don’t let the Jets’ tough-looking DvP rank outweigh that; it comes from a two-game sample with zero confidence. Freiermuth’s chain-moving role and red-zone size give him a credible path, and his upward trend after Week 1 is worth noting (ESPN 2026-09-17), but he needs more to break his way; LaPorta’s main risk is a lopsided game cutting into receiving volume.

What flips it: A lopsided Detroit win that cuts into LaPorta’s receiving volume.

Sources: ESPN · Sep 17, 2026

AI editor

Pat Freiermuth

Pat Freiermuth

TE24PITvs CIN

Projected Points

Start
Sam LaPorta

Sam LaPorta

TE8DETvs NYJ

Projected Points

Start· medium

Pat Freiermuth’s market

REC
O/U 3.5
-144 / +113
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 34.5
-109 / -115
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+360
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Sam LaPorta’s market

REC
O/U 4.5
-106 / -120
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 45.5
-111 / -113
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+180
Anytime Touchdown Props →
CIN@
PITSun, Sep 27, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
NYJ@
DETSun, Sep 27, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

Why Pat Freiermuth

Start

TE1 in pass-catching role. Reliable chain-mover with red-zone size and dependable hands.

Start — TE24 consensus, projects TE20 this week: 14% target share, 8.3 PPR projected vs CIN.

  • Freiermuth’s chain-moving role and red-zone size offer a path to points even without elite target volume.
  • His recent upward trend gives Pittsburgh’s pass-catching tight end some upside (ESPN 2026-09-17).

Latest on Freiermuth

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Why Sam LaPorta

Start· medium

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

TE8 with a 90% snap share and 20% target share on a 27.5-point implied total — the scary Jets DvP rank is a 2-game, zero-confidence sample.

  • LaPorta’s near-every-down role lets Detroit feature him across the field, not just as a situational target.
  • Detroit’s scoring environment supports his chances to turn that involvement into fantasy production.

The call

  • Role is locked: 90% snap share and a 20% target share through two games make LaPorta the clear pass-game hub, and TE8 consensus with 11.2 projected points beats any realistic 12-team replacement.
  • The Jets' No. 2-of-32 DvP mark vs tight ends looks ugly, but it's built on a 2-game sample with 0.00 confidence — not enough to bench a locked-in starter.
  • Detroit's 27.5 implied total and -9.5 spread mean plenty of offensive snaps; the risk is a blowout script that shifts volume to the run game late.
  • No injury designation, so there's no availability concern attached to the call.

Head-to-head stats

MetricPat FreiermuthSam LaPorta
Projected points
Consensus rankTE24TE8
Opponent vs positionCIN · 19 of 322-game sampleNYJ · 2 of 322-game sample
Receptions32 of 324 of 32
Receiving Yards32 of 323 of 32
Receiving TDs1 of 321 of 32
Targets30 of 323 of 32
Anytime TD1 of 321 of 32
Target share14%20%
Reception share19%21%
Implied total · spread22.5+1.527.5-9.5
Depth chartTE1TE1
Snap share70%90%
Start/Sit record—1–1

Recent form

Pat Freiermuth — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs NE
Week 1vs ATL

Sam LaPorta — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs BUF
Week 1vs NO

Signal breakdown

  • 8.3 vs 11.2 projected PPR pointsSam LaPorta +
  • Rank 24 vs 8Sam LaPorta +
  • Opponent DvP rank 19 vs 2 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 22.5 vs 27.5 team pointsSam LaPorta +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 70% vs 90% snap shareSam LaPorta +

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