Sam LaPorta Injury Update: Latest On Lions TE Could Raise Fantasy Football Concerns
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The Detroit Lions dealt with their share of injuries during the 2025 NFL season, a trend that appears to be creeping into the team’s offseason program. Star tight end Sam LaPorta was limited to just nine games during his third NFL season, but appeared to be on the right track to return for the start of the 2026 campaign.
As Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed on Thursday, though, LaPorta suffered another setback as Week 1 approaches. The Pro Bowl pass-catcher suffered a hip injury during practice earlier in the week, and missed Wednesday’s session prior to Campbell’s update earlier this afternoon.
Lions TE Sam LaPorta suffered a hip injury, per HC Dan Campbell.
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 20, 2026
Campbell says LaPorta could be ready by the start of the season, but doesn't know “for sure”. pic.twitter.com/LBDivAuKPy
Campbell did not offer insight over the timetable for LaPorta’s return to the field, as the star tight end could be in jeopardy of missing the season-opener against the New Orleans Saints.
The injury will likely raise concerns over his fantasy football stock coming into the 2026 season, already facing red-flags as he comes off season-ending back surgery. Despite missing time, LaPorta showed out in limited action in 2025, finished the season ranked third among Lions pass-catchers in yards-per-game.
LaPorta’s latest update could drastically affect his fantasy outlook as draft season looms among leagues, but is the injury enough to pass on the star tight end?
Sam LaPorta’s Injury Will Create Tumble In Fantasy ADP Rankings, Sets Up Potential Sleeper Case
I don’t expect LaPorta’s roster percentage to notice much of a hit following his injury update, but the real impact could come in real-time ADP rankings. He comes into the fantasy football season widely ranked as TE5 in fantasy, but could fall to the No. 8 to No. 10 range depending on his ability to bounce back from a hip issue.
He hauled in 40 of his 49 targets last season, racking up 489 receiving yards and three touchdowns, closing the year ranked as TE27 in fantasy over just nine games. He averaged a reliable 11.9 points per week in PPR, good for the seventh-highest mark among tight ends in fantasy.
LaPorta should return early in the season, even if he misses Week 1, and sets an encouraging fantasy outlook despite the injury concerns. The Detroit Lions boast one of the top passing attacks in the NFL, and LaPorta has cemented a significant role whenever he’s on the field, taking on a noticeable chunk of the target share.
I’m still quite bullish on his outlook for the upcoming year, as he should return to form as one of fantasy football’s top tight ends in one of the league’s top offenses.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.