LaPorta recorded nine receptions (on 13 targets) for 97 yards in Sunday's 34-31 loss to the 49ers.
LaPorta led the team in targets, receptions and yards, and it was also his second consecutive contest with nine receptions and double-digit targets. Though he didn't find the end zone, LaPorta was a consistent big-play threat as he recorded a pair of catches for 16 yards, and two more of his receptions went for double-digit gains. It was a strong close to an impressive rookie season, and LaPorta should be a strong second option in Detroit's passing attack behind wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2024.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Good to go
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LaPorta (knee) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game in San Francisco, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
LaPorta has been listed on Detroit's injury reports throughout the playoffs after suffering a knee hyperextension during Week 18 action, but the injury didn't stop him from handling his normal workload in the wild-card and divisional rounds. He topped 80 percent snap share in both games, combining for 12 catches, 79 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. The rookie tight end now gets a tough matchup in the NFC Championship Game, facing a Niners defense that tends to do an excellent job of guarding the middle of the field thanks to LBs Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. A return to full practice participation Friday suggests LaPorta should be fine for his usual, starring role in the Detroit offense.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Gets back to limited Thursday
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LaPorta (knee) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
One day removed from sitting out Wednesday's walkthrough, LaPorta returned to the practice field in some capacity. He now has one more chance this week to get back to all activity before the Lions potentially gives him a designation ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship Game in San Francisco. In two outings playing through a hyperextension and a bone bruise in his left knee, LaPorta has earned at least an 80 percent snap share on both occasions while hauling in 12 of 14 targets for 79 yards and one touchdown in playoff wins against the Rams and Buccaneers.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Listed as non-participant Wednesday
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LaPorta (knee) didn't take part in Wednesday's walkthrough practice.
LaPorta is being listed as a non-participant on a Lions injury report for the first time since Jan. 11 due to the hyperextension and bone bruise in his left knee that he suffered Week 18 against the Vikings. He's been able to play through the pain in Detroit's first two playoff games, earning at least an 80 percent snap share in both contests on his way to a combined 12 catches (on 14 targets) for 79 yards and one touchdown. LaPorta will have two more chances this week to get back to full participation before the team potentially tags him with a designation ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship Game at San Francisco.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Team-high nine grabs in win
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LaPorta caught nine of 11 targets for 65 yards in Sunday's 31-23 divisional-round win over the Buccaneers.
He led the Lions in catches and finished second to Amon-Ra St. Brown in targets and receiving yards -- another remarkable performance for LaPorta as he plays through a bone bruise in his left knee that he picked up in Week 18. The nine catches tied his personal best, continuing an incredible campaign that saw LaPorta set an NFL record for a rookie tight end with 86 catches during the regular season. Detroit will likely take it very easy on him again in practice this week as the team gears up for an NFC Championship Game clash with the 49ers.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Listed as questionable again
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LaPorta (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's divisional-round game versus the Buccaneers.
In the wake of playing through a hyperextension and bone bruise in his left knee this past Sunday against the Rams, LaPorta managed a full walkthrough Wednesday before moving back to limited at Thursday's practice. He'll thus enter a second consecutive weekend listed as questionable, but considering he logged an 80 percent snap share in the wild-card round, he should be good for a similar workload Sunday. LaPorta's status ultimately will be clarified about 90 minutes before a 3:00 p.m. ET kickoff.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Limited Thursday
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LaPorta (knee) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
After opening the week listed as a full participant at Wednesday's walkthrough, LaPorta operated with a cap on his on-field reps one day later. The Lions likely are managing his workload after he sustained a hyperextension and bone bruise in his left knee Week 18 against the Vikings. He was able to play through the issues during Sunday's wild-card win against the Rams, logging 45 of 56 offensive snaps en route to three catches (on three targets) for 14 yards and one touchdown. Friday's practice report will reveal whether or not LaPorta enters the weekend with a designation ahead of Sunday's divisional-round game versus the Buccaneers.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Scores first postseason TD
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LaPorta (knee) pulled in all three of his targets for 19 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-23 win over the Rams.
The rookie tight end carried a questionable tag heading into Sunday's playoff tilt after suffering a hyperextended knee in the regular-season finale against the Vikings last week. LaPorta was able to suit up with the assistance of a knee brace and provide fantasy players with his second two-yard touchdown in as many weeks. The 22-year-old's first postseason score helped buoy Detroit to its first playoff win since before the tight end's birth (a 38-6 win over Dallas in 1992). LaPorta will now join his teammates as the Lions prepare to host the divisional round of the playoffs for the first time since 1994 next Sunday.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Should be available Sunday
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LaPorta (knee), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's wild-card game versus the Rams, is "trending in the right direction" and expected to be available to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
LaPorta hyperextended and suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in last Sunday's 30-20 win over the Vikings, but he's made rapid progress in his recovery from the injuries over the past week. Though Rapoport notes that LaPorta was "very limited in practice" this week despite being listed as a full participant in Friday's session, the rookie tight end appears set to take the field Sunday while sporting a protective brace on his knee. LaPorta should be officially cleared to play when Detroit releases its inactive list 90 minutes prior to the game's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Still not practicing
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LaPorta (knee) didn't participate in Thursday's practice, Justin Rogers of The Detroit News reports.
LaPorta made an early exit from this past Sunday's win against the Vikings in the second quarter after his foot got stuck in the turf, resulting in his left knee bending awkwardly. Afterward, he was diagnosed with a hyperextension and bone bruise in the knee in question, and coach Dan Campbell told Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site on Monday that the rookie second-round pick had an "outside shot" to play in Sunday's wild-card game against the Rams. Campbell added at the time that the team would have a better idea of LaPorta's upcoming availability in 48 hours, but the tight end has since logged back-to-back absences. In the end, Friday's injury report may include a final ruling on LaPorta's status heading into the weekend, and if he's inhibited or sidelined, TE reps will trickle down to Brock Wright and James Mitchell.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Chance to play in wild-card round
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Head coach Dan Campbell said Monday that LaPorta (knee) has an outside shot to play in Sunday's wild-card game against the Rams, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
LaPorta exited this past Sunday's win over the Vikings with what has been reported as a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise after his foot got stuck in the turf, forcing his knee to bend the wrong way. He needed to be carted to the locker room, but the diagnosis is much better than initially feared. If LaPorta can't play against Los Angeles, Brock Wright (hip), if he's available, and James Mitchell would appear to be the next players up at tight end for Detroit. Campbell said he doesn't anticipate signing a player at the position this week.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Likely nature of knee issues revealed
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LaPorta is believed to have sustained a hyperextension and a bone bruise in his left knee during Sunday's 30-20 win versus the Vikings, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
In a postgame media session, coach Dan Campbell told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that the Lions will have more info regarding LaPorta's diagnosis Monday, but the likely injuries have since been revealed. Ultimately, it's not as serious as it could have been, per Campbell, but there's a decent chance LaPorta misses time as a result.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Impressive numbers in Week 17 loss
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LaPorta secured seven of 12 targets for 84 yards in the Lions' 20-19 loss to the Cowboys on Saturday night.
LaPorta led the Lions in receptions and targets while checking in second to Amon-Ra St. Brown in receiving yards. The talented tight end was especially impressive on the final drive, kickstarting the march with two receptions for 35 yards and adding a 15-yard grab later in the possession that set up St. Brown's 11-yard touchdown catch. LaPorta's reception and yardage totals were his best since Week 13, and he'll have a chance to put a stamp on a stellar regular season against the Vikings in a Week 18 divisional home clash on Jan. 7.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Three-touchdown performance
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LaPorta recorded five receptions on six targets for 56 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's 42-17 win over the Broncos.
LaPorta had a typical performance from an opportunity and yardage perspective, but he found the end zone three times to deliver a standout effort. He didn't tally his first reception until the last play of the first quarter, but he then went on to record touchdowns in each of the final three quarters of the game from 19, three and 10 yards, respectively. LaPorta won't continue to maintain the touchdown efficiency he displayed Saturday night moving forward, but he has impressively found the end zone nine times in his first 14 games as a pro. LaPorta also has three-plus catches in all but one of his games this season, proving himself a high-floor player in addition to some big outings.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Career-best day in win
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LaPorta brought in all nine targets for 140 yards and a touchdown in the Lions' 33-28 win over the Saints on Sunday.
The rookie tight end led the Lions' pass catchers across the board by a wide margin with reception and yardage totals that also qualified as season/career highs. LaPorta broke loose for several chunk gains throughout the afternoon, including a game-long 48-yard reception and a 13-yard scoring grab early in the first quarter. LaPorta has now scored in consecutive games for the first time in his career, affording him plenty of momentum heading into a Week 14 road matchup against the Bears.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Four grabs in Sunday's win
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LaPorta caught four of five targets for 40 yards in Sunday's 41-38 win over the Chargers.
It was a somewhat disappointing performance for LaPorta considering Detroit's total output, but that just indicates how quickly the rookie tight end has recalibrated expectations for his production. The five targets were his lowest volume since Week 5, and the 40 yards were his third-lowest total of the season. LaPorta will look to ramp things up again Week 11 against the Bears.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Remains limited Thursday
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LaPorta (calf) practiced on a limited basis Thursday.
LaPorta continues to deal with a strained calf that flared up in the middle of last week, but he was able to play through it this past Sunday in Tampa Bay and log a typical 84 percent of snaps en route to four catches (on 11 targets) for 36 yards and no touchdowns. He'll have one more session this week to prove his health before the Lions potentially tag him with a designation for Sunday's contest at Baltimore.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Does little with 11 targets
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LaPorta recorded four receptions on 11 targets for 36 yards in Sunday's 20-6 win over Tampa Bay.
LaPorta was questionable with a calf injury ahead of Sunday's matchup, though he managed to play through the issue. While he played a full role in the offense, he struggled to turn that into production as he turned in his lowest yardage total of his rookie year. Despite the uninspiring outcome, the positive takeaway is that LaPorta maintained a key role in the offense even with Detroit's full allotment of pass catchers available.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Active in Week 6
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LaPorta (calf) is listed as active Sunday in Tampa Bay.
LaPorta made a sudden appearance on the Lions' practice report Thursday, sitting out that session due to a calf injury. Coach Dan Campbell revealed Friday that LaPorta was dealing with a calf strain, which the rookie second-round pick said he likely suffered last Sunday against the Panthers before it flared up at Wednesday's practice, according to Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, LaPorta's status for Sunday was subject to a pregame workout, and after checking out OK, he'll be available versus a Buccaneers defense that has contained opposing TEs to a 21-152-0 line on 29 targets through four games on the campaign.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Trending toward playing Sunday
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LaPorta (calf), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers, appears to be trending in the right direction as the 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff approaches, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Before finalizing a decision on LaPorta's status, the Lions will put the rookie tight end through a pregame workout to see how his strained calf responds. LaPorta sat out Thursday's practice with the injury before returning to the field Friday in a limited fashion, and he's seemingly made some progress since that time. Though the Lions will know after the workout whether LaPorta will play, fantasy managers may not hear word on his status one way or the other until the team releases its inactive list 90 minutes prior to kickoff. Brock Wright would step in as the Lions' starting tight end if LaPorta is unable to go.
