Start Sam LaPorta or Brenton Strange? Week 9
Updated Nov 4, 10:06 AM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 10 answer posts Tuesday.
Start Sam LaPorta over Brenton Strange
- Market projects
- 10.3
- fantasy pts
- MIA D vs TE
- 19.2
- 3rd most to TEs (2026)
- Snap share
- 90%
- Through Week 8
- Target share
- 18%
- Through Week 8
- Market projects
- 9.0
- fantasy pts
- BAL D vs TE
- 13.5
- 15th fewest to TEs (2026)
- Snap share
- 75%
- Through Week 8
- Target share
- 18%
- Through Week 8
Should I drop Brenton Strange for Sam LaPorta?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Sam LaPorta projects 105 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (11.7 a game over 9 games), Brenton Strange 80 (8.9 a game over 9 games). For Week 9 the call starts Sam LaPorta over Brenton Strange, 10.3 to 9.0 projected PPR points.
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Our Week 9 call
Start Sam LaPorta over Brenton Strange in Week 9.
Market-based projections have Sam LaPorta at 10.3 points and Brenton Strange at 9.0, a gap of 1.3. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. Drafters take Sam LaPorta at ADP 111 and Brenton Strange at 202.
What the market projects
Player markets imply 10.3 fantasy points for Sam LaPorta, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.
The market-based projection for Sam LaPorta is 43 receiving yards, 3-4 receptions and 0.4 touchdowns (12, 9 and 13 market sources).
Player markets imply 9.0 fantasy points for Brenton Strange, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.
The market-based projection for Brenton Strange is 36 receiving yards, 3-4 receptions and 0.3 touchdowns (14, 11 and 14 market sources).
That puts Sam LaPorta 1.3 points ahead of Brenton Strange on the market projections.
Week 9 matchups
Sam LaPorta and DET visit MIA on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.
MIA allowed 19.2 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 7 games, the 3rd most in the league.
Tight ends caught passes for 69 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against MIA.
Brenton Strange and JAX visit BAL on Thursday at 8:15 PM ET.
BAL allowed 13.5 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 8 games, the 15th fewest in the league.
Tight ends caught passes for 47 yards and 0.8 touchdowns a game against BAL.
By points allowed to the position, Sam LaPorta has the softer matchup.
Injury status
Sam LaPorta is not on the injury report.
Brenton Strange is not on the injury report.
Usage before Week 9
Through Week 8, Sam LaPorta played 90 percent of DET snaps, drew 18 percent of the targets, earned 14 percent of the air yards and had 12 percent of the red zone chances.
Sam LaPorta, Week 4 against CAR: 56 of 71 snaps, 13 targets and 8 catches for 84 yards, 1 touchdown.
Sam LaPorta, Week 5 against ARI: 59 of 66 snaps, 5 targets and 5 catches for 88 yards, 1 touchdown.
Sam LaPorta, Week 7 against GB: 66 of 68 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 18 yards.
Sam LaPorta, Week 8 against MIN: 67 of 72 snaps, 1 carry for 2 yards, 5 targets and 3 catches for 33 yards.
Through Week 8, Brenton Strange played 75 percent of JAX snaps, drew 18 percent of the targets, earned 16 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.
Brenton Strange, Week 4 against CIN: 53 of 61 snaps, 8 targets and 7 catches for 95 yards.
Brenton Strange, Week 5 against PHI: 58 of 72 snaps, 8 targets and 7 catches for 68 yards.
Brenton Strange, Week 6 against HOU: 54 of 71 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 44 yards.
Brenton Strange, Week 8 against IND: 28 of 54 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 55 yards.
Their 2025 seasons
In 2025, Sam LaPorta played 9 games for DET and scored 106.9 PPR points, 11.9 a game, finishing TE27.
He caught 40 of 49 targets for 489 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 4 red zone targets and 215 air yards.
He was on the field for 90 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.
In 2025, Brenton Strange played 12 games for JAX and scored 118.0 PPR points, 9.8 a game, finishing TE23.
He caught 46 of 60 targets for 540 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 9 red zone targets and 293 air yards.
He was on the field for 76 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.
Their other Week 9 calls
Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 9, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.
Drop or keep
Should I drop Brenton Strange for Sam LaPorta?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Sam LaPorta projects 105 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (11.7 a game over 9 games), Brenton Strange 80 (8.9 a game over 9 games). For Week 9 the call starts Sam LaPorta over Brenton Strange, 10.3 to 9.0 projected PPR points.
Should I drop Sam LaPorta for Brenton Strange?
No. Keep Sam LaPorta: he projects 105 market-implied PPR points from Week 9 through Week 17 (11.7 a game over 9 games), Brenton Strange 80 (8.9 a game over 9 games). For Week 9 the call starts Sam LaPorta over Brenton Strange, 10.3 to 9.0 projected PPR points.
Should I drop Brenton Strange?
Week 9 on the board
- Is Sam LaPorta playing Week 9?
- Is Brenton Strange playing Week 9?
- Lions depth chart
- Jaguars depth chart
- Week 9 TE rankings
- Week 9 fantasy rankings
- Week 9 start or sit
- Week 9 waiver wire
- Week 9 trade value chart
- Trade deadline buy low, sell high
- Fantasy football rankings
- Start 'em sit 'em Week 9
- Waiver wire pickups
- Fantasy sleepers
- Rest of season rankings
- Week 9 kicker rankings
- Week 9 defense rankings