Start George Kittle or Sam LaPorta? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start George Kittle over Sam LaPorta in Week 9.

Market-based projections have George Kittle at 15.9 points and Sam LaPorta at 11.6, a gap of 4.3. No player market is posted for George Kittle this week yet, so his 15.9 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (15.7 and 16.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Sam LaPorta this week yet, so his 11.6 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 7 and 8 (12.3 and 10.9); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take George Kittle at ADP 92 and Sam LaPorta at 111.

What the market projects

No Week 9 player market is posted for George Kittle yet. His market-based projections were 15.7 and 16.0 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 15.9, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

No Week 9 player market is posted for Sam LaPorta yet. His market-based projections were 12.3 and 10.9 points in Weeks 7 and 8, an average of 11.6, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

The market-based projection for Sam LaPorta is 0.4 touchdowns (5 market sources).

That puts George Kittle 4.3 points ahead of Sam LaPorta on these projections.

Week 9 matchups

George Kittle and SF host LV on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

LV allowed 19.6 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 7 games, the 4th most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 58 yards and 1.1 touchdowns a game against LV.

Sam LaPorta and DET visit MIA on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

MIA allowed 21.1 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the 3rd most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 75 yards and a touchdown a game against MIA.

By points allowed to the position, Sam LaPorta has the softer matchup.

Injury status

George Kittle is not on the injury report.

Sam LaPorta is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 7, George Kittle played 78 percent of SF snaps, drew 22 percent of the targets, earned 21 percent of the air yards and had 15 percent of the red zone chances.

George Kittle, Week 4 against DEN: 60 of 66 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 70 yards, 1 touchdown.

George Kittle, Week 5 against SEA: 55 of 60 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 24 yards.

George Kittle, Week 6 against WAS: 55 of 62 snaps, 8 targets and 5 catches for 69 yards, 1 touchdown.

George Kittle, Week 7 against ATL: 60 of 66 snaps, 10 targets and 8 catches for 88 yards.

Through Week 8, 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 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: 1 carry for 2 yards, 5 targets and 3 catches for 33 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, George Kittle played 11 games for SF and scored 161.5 PPR points, 14.7 a game, finishing TE13.

He caught 57 of 69 targets for 628 yards and 7 touchdowns, with 12 red zone targets and 376 air yards.

He was on the field for 80 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

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.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Brock Bowers over George Kittle.
• Start George Kittle over Dallas Goedert.
• Start George Kittle over Dalton Kincaid.
• Start Brock Bowers over Sam LaPorta.
• Start Colston Loveland over Sam LaPorta.
• Start Sam LaPorta over Dallas Goedert.