Sam LaPorta or Xavier Worthy: Who Should You Start?

Preliminary board

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

Verdicts sharpen as practice reports land.

LaPorta’s established TE1 role beats Worthy’s near-even projection

Start Sam LaPorta: the raw projections are essentially level, but his stronger standing at tight end and more secure TE1 role create the meaningful edge. Detroit’s higher scoring expectation and LaPorta’s every-down involvement matter more than the Jets matchup, which is based on only two games with no confidence. Xavier Worthy has appealing speed and manufactured-touch upside, but a WR2 role makes his weekly output more dependent on explosive plays; that volatility is the call’s main risk.

What flips it: A role change that gives Worthy clearly more dependable route volume.

AI editor

Sam LaPorta

Sam LaPorta

TE8DETvs NYJ

Projected Points

Start· medium
Xavier Worthy

Xavier Worthy

WR49KCvs MIA

Projected Points

Start· medium

Sam LaPorta’s market

ATD
Anytime TD
+185
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Xavier Worthy’s market

ATD
Anytime TD
+300
Anytime Touchdown Props →
NYJ@
DETSun, Sep 27, 1:00 PM ETView the game →
KC@
MIASun, Sep 27, 1:00 PM ETView the game →

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 TE1 role gives him a sturdier weekly floor than the nearly identical projection suggests.
  • The Jets DvP signal is too thin to outweigh LaPorta’s established involvement in Detroit’s offense.

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.

Why Xavier Worthy

Start· medium

WR2 and vertical speed threat. Elite track speed with jet-motion and manufactured-touch usage.

82% snap share and a 26.0 implied team total keep Worthy in the flex mix; the tough DvP rank comes from a 2-game sample with zero confidence.

  • Worthy’s vertical speed and manufactured touches give him a path to outscore LaPorta on one explosive play.
  • Kansas City’s strong scoring environment keeps Worthy viable despite his less secure WR2 role.

The call

  • Role is locked in: 82% snap share and a 19% target share as the WR-2 in an offense projected for 26.0 implied points is a startable weekly floor in 12-team PPR.
  • The matchup grade (6 of 32 vs the position) looks scary, but it's built on a 2-game sample with 0.00 confidence — not enough to bench a full-time receiver on a good offense.
  • 11.4 projected points against a WR49 consensus rank means the model sees him outproducing his price tag; that's flex value over a typical waiver replacement.
  • Risk is the script: at -7.5 a comfortable lead can shrink second-half passing volume, and 19% target share leaves him dependent on efficiency rather than raw looks.

Latest on Worthy

Chiefs down Colts in OT thriller
VideoESPN · Sep 21, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricSam LaPortaXavier Worthy
Projected points
Consensus rankTE8WR49
Opponent vs positionNYJ · 2 of 322-game sampleMIA · 6 of 322-game sample
Receptions4 of 327 of 32
Receiving Yards3 of 326 of 32
Receiving TDs1 of 327 of 32
Targets3 of 322 of 32
Anytime TD1 of 327 of 32
Target share20%19%
Reception share21%17%
Implied total · spread27.5-9.526.0-7.5
Depth chartTE1WR2
Snap share90%82%
Start/Sit record1–11–0+1 toss-up

Recent form

Sam LaPorta — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs BUF
Week 1vs NO

Xavier Worthy — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs IND
Week 1vs DEN

Signal breakdown

  • 11.2 vs 11.4 projected PPR pointsXavier Worthy +
  • Rank 8 vs 49Sam LaPorta +
  • Opponent DvP rank 2 vs 6 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 27.5 vs 26.0 team pointsSam LaPorta +
  • No injury designationseven
  • 90% vs 82% snap shareSam LaPorta +

Compare different players

Week 3220 players
Player A
vs
Player B

Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.

More LaPorta comparisons

More Worthy comparisons

This week’s toughest calls

Start/Sit Board•Weekly Rankings•Streamers•Sleepers & Busts•Waiver Wire•My Team•MLB NRFI Board•Free Tools•NFL Props•NFL Games

Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →

Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.

Add to My Team — free

Or browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.