Start Sam LaPorta or Dallas Goedert? Week 8

Our Week 8 call

Start Sam LaPorta over Dallas Goedert in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Sam LaPorta at 11.9 points and Dallas Goedert at 10.5, a gap of 1.4. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Dallas Goedert this week yet, so his 10.5 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (9.9, 8.8 and 12.7); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Sam LaPorta at ADP 111 and Dallas Goedert at 121.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 11.9 fantasy points for Sam LaPorta, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market-based projection for Sam LaPorta is 52 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0.4 touchdowns (10, 8 and 12 market sources).

No Week 8 player market is posted for Dallas Goedert yet. His market-based projections were 9.9, 8.8 and 12.7 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 10.5, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

That puts Sam LaPorta 1.4 points ahead of Dallas Goedert on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

Sam LaPorta and DET host MIN on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

MIN allowed 6.9 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the fewest in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 39 yards and no touchdowns a game against MIN.

Dallas Goedert and PHI visit WAS on Sunday at 8:20 PM ET.

WAS allowed 21.5 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the 2nd most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 74 yards and 1.3 touchdowns a game against WAS.

By points allowed to the position, Dallas Goedert has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Sam LaPorta is not on the injury report.

Dallas Goedert is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Sam LaPorta played 89 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 3 against NYJ: 60 of 65 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 44 yards.

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.

Through Week 7, Dallas Goedert played 67 percent of PHI snaps, drew 18 percent of the targets, earned 13 percent of the air yards and had 9 percent of the red zone chances.

Dallas Goedert, Week 2 against TEN: 19 of 76 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 4 yards.

Dallas Goedert, Week 5 against JAX: 43 of 62 snaps, 9 targets and 6 catches for 38 yards.

Dallas Goedert, Week 6 against CAR: 52 of 64 snaps, 8 targets and 6 catches for 61 yards.

Dallas Goedert, Week 7 against DAL: 48 of 62 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 48 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, Dallas Goedert played 15 games for PHI and scored 185.1 PPR points, 12.3 a game, finishing TE7.

He caught 60 of 82 targets for 591 yards and 11 touchdowns, with 15 red zone targets and 357 air yards.

He was on the field for 85 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

• Start Sam LaPorta over Brenton Strange.
• Start Brock Bowers over Sam LaPorta.
• Start Sam LaPorta over Cade Otton.
• Start Dallas Goedert over Brenton Strange.
• Start Brock Bowers over Dallas Goedert.
• Start Dallas Goedert over Cade Otton.