Start Sam LaPorta or Juwan Johnson? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Sam LaPorta over Juwan Johnson in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Sam LaPorta at 12.4 points and Juwan Johnson at 10.2, a gap of 2.1.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 10.2 fantasy points for Juwan Johnson, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Juwan Johnson at 42.5 receiving yards and 4.5 receptions, with a 23% chance to score a touchdown (12, 13 and 15 market sources).

Player markets imply 12.4 fantasy points for Sam LaPorta, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Sam LaPorta at 51.5 receiving yards and 4.5 receptions, with a 35% chance to score a touchdown (15, 14 and 15 market sources).

That puts Sam LaPorta 2.1 points ahead of Juwan Johnson on the market projections.

Injury status

Juwan Johnson is not on the injury report.

Sam LaPorta is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Juwan Johnson played 71 percent of NO snaps, drew 16 percent of the targets, earned 11 percent of the air yards and had 16 percent of the red zone chances.

Juwan Johnson, Week 1 against DET: 76 of 90 snaps, 7 targets and 3 catches for 54 yards, 1 touchdown.

Juwan Johnson, Week 2 against BAL: 36 of 68 snaps, 4 targets and 4 catches for 66 yards.

Juwan Johnson, Week 3 against LV: 46 of 74 snaps, 8 targets and 8 catches for 53 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Juwan Johnson, Week 4 against ATL: 58 of 74 snaps, 8 targets and 6 catches for 59 yards.

Through Week 4, Sam LaPorta played 87 percent of DET snaps, drew 20 percent of the targets, earned 15 percent of the air yards and had 16 percent of the red zone chances.

Sam LaPorta, Week 1 against NO: 62 of 77 snaps, 8 targets and 5 catches for 48 yards.

Sam LaPorta, Week 2 against BUF: 64 of 65 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 52 yards, 1 touchdown.

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.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Juwan Johnson played 17 games for NO and scored 179.9 PPR points, 10.6 a game, finishing TE8.

He caught 77 of 102 targets for 889 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 8 red zone targets and 527 air yards.

He was on the field for 76 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 5 calls

• Start Juwan Johnson over Colston Loveland.
• Start Dalton Kincaid over Juwan Johnson.
• Start Juwan Johnson over Dalton Schultz.
• Start Brock Bowers over Sam LaPorta.
• Start Sam LaPorta over Dalton Kincaid.
• Start Sam LaPorta over George Kittle.