LaPorta caught two of three targets for 13 yards in Sunday's 20-16 loss to the Buccaneers.
LaPorta was targeted on only three of Jared Goff's 55 passes, as the second-year tight end has played a secondary role early in 2024 after an outstanding rookie regular season in which LaPorta compiled 889 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. The emergence of wide receiver Jameson Williams has cut into LaPorta's opportunities, as Williams has 20 targets compared to eight for LaPorta heading into a Week 3 road game in Arizona.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Quiet night on SNF
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LaPorta caught four of five targets for 45 yards in Sunday's 26-20 overtime win over the Rams.
LaPorta was quiet for the majority of Week 1, though he logged an 18-yard reception on Detroit's final possession of regulation, which ended with a game-tying field goal from Jake Bates. Quarterback Jared Goff didn't have the most effective night, limiting the tight end's overall upside against Los Angeles. LaPorta will look to get more involved in Week 2 when the Lions host the Buccaneers, a team against whom the tight end caught nine of 11 targets for 65 yards in the divisional round of the postseason in 2023.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Not on injury report
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LaPorta (hamstring) wasn't listed on the Lions' injury report Wednesday.
LaPorta came down with a hamstring injury Aug. 5, which spurred the Lions to take a cautious approach with the second-year tight end for the rest of training camp and the preseason. Detroit didn't actually hold a practice Wednesday, but he wouldn't have been limited if the team had taken the field. With his availability now clear for Sunday's game versus the Rams, LaPorta will reclaim his standing as the Lions' second pass catcher behind wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, which amounted to 86 catches (on 120 targets) for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns in 17 games as a rookie in 2023.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Seems ready for Week 1
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Coach Dan Campbell said Monday that LaPorta (hamstring) is not one of the players whose injury status is a concern for Sunday's regular-season opener against the Rams, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
LaPorta and fellow second-year standout Jahmyr Gibbs (hamstring) both resumed practicing last week after having missed a substantial portion of training camp due to hamstring issues. Campbell said Monday that only Ifeatu Melifonwu (undisclosed) is a real candidate to miss Week 1 due to injury, though, so, while it remains to be seen whether LaPorta and Gibbs have yet resumed practicing in full, both players should be on the field during Sunday Night Football to take on Los Angeles. LaPorta set the receptions record for a rookie tight end last season with 86 catches, and he could still have room to grow entering Year 2.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Resumes practicing
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LaPorta (hamstring) returned to practice Sunday, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.
The tight end was one of many Lions to resume practicing Sunday, and it marked his first on-field work since the first week of August. LaPorta is on track to be ready for a Week 1 game against the Rams on Sunday, Sept. 8, but it still will be worth monitoring the situation to make sure he gets back to full practice participation before then.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Should resume practicing soon
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Coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday that LaPorta (hamstring) could resume practicing as soon as Sunday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Campbell mentioned the day after Detroit's preseason finale as a possible return date for a bunch of injured players, including LaPorta and RB Jahmyr Gibbs (hamstring). While it's not ideal to have two stars dealing with summer hamstring injuries, there's been no indication that either playmaker is expected to remain out for long. LaPorta was first reported to be dealing with an injury Aug. 5.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Remains out Saturday
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LaPorta (hamstring) did not play in the Lions' 24-23 win over Kansas City on Saturday.
LaPorta has been nursing a hamstring injury, and he was on the sideline for Detroit's second preseason matchup. None of the team's starters played in the contest, so the tight end's absence isn't necessarily an indication of where he's at with the injury. LaPorta will look to return to practice this week, but at this point, he appears unlikely to play in Saturday's preseason finale at home versus Pittsburgh.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Sits out preseason opener
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LaPorta (hamstring) didn't see action in Thursday's preseason opener against the Giants, the Detroit News reports.
The Lions opted not to play their key skill players in the contest, but LaPorta has been dealing with a hamstring injury, so he probably wouldn't have played Thursday even if they had. The star tight end's next chance to see game action is Aug. 17 against the Chiefs, but he'll need to get some practice time in before then for that to occur.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Primed for Year 2 with Lions
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As the coming season approaches, LaPorta remains the top option in a Detroit tight end corps that also includes Brock Wright, James Mitchell, Shane Zylstra, Parker Hesse and Sean McKeon.
LaPorta burst onto the scene last season with the Lions after being selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The 23-year-old recorded 86 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns over the team's 17 regular-season contests. The touchdown mark tied him with Rob Gronkowski for the second-most scores all-time for a rookie tight end. With offensive coordinator Ben Johnson sticking around this offseason, Detroit's high-powered offense will likely lead to another productive season for LaPorta in 2024.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Impressive in postseason loss
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LaPorta recorded nine receptions (on 13 targets) for 97 yards in Sunday's 34-31 loss to the 49ers.
LaPorta led the team in targets, receptions and yards, and it was also his second consecutive contest with nine receptions and double-digit targets. Though he didn't find the end zone, LaPorta was a consistent big-play threat as he recorded a pair of catches for 16 yards, and two more of his receptions went for double-digit gains. It was a strong close to an impressive rookie season, and LaPorta should be a strong second option in Detroit's passing attack behind wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2024.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Listed as non-participant Wednesday
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LaPorta (knee) didn't take part in Wednesday's walkthrough practice.
LaPorta is being listed as a non-participant on a Lions injury report for the first time since Jan. 11 due to the hyperextension and bone bruise in his left knee that he suffered Week 18 against the Vikings. He's been able to play through the pain in Detroit's first two playoff games, earning at least an 80 percent snap share in both contests on his way to a combined 12 catches (on 14 targets) for 79 yards and one touchdown. LaPorta will have two more chances this week to get back to full participation before the team potentially tags him with a designation ahead of Sunday's NFC Championship Game at San Francisco.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Team-high nine grabs in win
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LaPorta caught nine of 11 targets for 65 yards in Sunday's 31-23 divisional-round win over the Buccaneers.
He led the Lions in catches and finished second to Amon-Ra St. Brown in targets and receiving yards -- another remarkable performance for LaPorta as he plays through a bone bruise in his left knee that he picked up in Week 18. The nine catches tied his personal best, continuing an incredible campaign that saw LaPorta set an NFL record for a rookie tight end with 86 catches during the regular season. Detroit will likely take it very easy on him again in practice this week as the team gears up for an NFC Championship Game clash with the 49ers.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Listed as questionable again
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LaPorta (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's divisional-round game versus the Buccaneers.
In the wake of playing through a hyperextension and bone bruise in his left knee this past Sunday against the Rams, LaPorta managed a full walkthrough Wednesday before moving back to limited at Thursday's practice. He'll thus enter a second consecutive weekend listed as questionable, but considering he logged an 80 percent snap share in the wild-card round, he should be good for a similar workload Sunday. LaPorta's status ultimately will be clarified about 90 minutes before a 3:00 p.m. ET kickoff.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Limited Thursday
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LaPorta (knee) was a limited practice participant Thursday.
After opening the week listed as a full participant at Wednesday's walkthrough, LaPorta operated with a cap on his on-field reps one day later. The Lions likely are managing his workload after he sustained a hyperextension and bone bruise in his left knee Week 18 against the Vikings. He was able to play through the issues during Sunday's wild-card win against the Rams, logging 45 of 56 offensive snaps en route to three catches (on three targets) for 14 yards and one touchdown. Friday's practice report will reveal whether or not LaPorta enters the weekend with a designation ahead of Sunday's divisional-round game versus the Buccaneers.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Scores first postseason TD
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LaPorta (knee) pulled in all three of his targets for 19 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 24-23 win over the Rams.
The rookie tight end carried a questionable tag heading into Sunday's playoff tilt after suffering a hyperextended knee in the regular-season finale against the Vikings last week. LaPorta was able to suit up with the assistance of a knee brace and provide fantasy players with his second two-yard touchdown in as many weeks. The 22-year-old's first postseason score helped buoy Detroit to its first playoff win since before the tight end's birth (a 38-6 win over Dallas in 1992). LaPorta will now join his teammates as the Lions prepare to host the divisional round of the playoffs for the first time since 1994 next Sunday.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Should be available Sunday
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LaPorta (knee), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's wild-card game versus the Rams, is "trending in the right direction" and expected to be available to play, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
LaPorta hyperextended and suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in last Sunday's 30-20 win over the Vikings, but he's made rapid progress in his recovery from the injuries over the past week. Though Rapoport notes that LaPorta was "very limited in practice" this week despite being listed as a full participant in Friday's session, the rookie tight end appears set to take the field Sunday while sporting a protective brace on his knee. LaPorta should be officially cleared to play when Detroit releases its inactive list 90 minutes prior to the game's 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Still not practicing
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LaPorta (knee) didn't participate in Thursday's practice, Justin Rogers of The Detroit News reports.
LaPorta made an early exit from this past Sunday's win against the Vikings in the second quarter after his foot got stuck in the turf, resulting in his left knee bending awkwardly. Afterward, he was diagnosed with a hyperextension and bone bruise in the knee in question, and coach Dan Campbell told Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site on Monday that the rookie second-round pick had an "outside shot" to play in Sunday's wild-card game against the Rams. Campbell added at the time that the team would have a better idea of LaPorta's upcoming availability in 48 hours, but the tight end has since logged back-to-back absences. In the end, Friday's injury report may include a final ruling on LaPorta's status heading into the weekend, and if he's inhibited or sidelined, TE reps will trickle down to Brock Wright and James Mitchell.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Chance to play in wild-card round
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Head coach Dan Campbell said Monday that LaPorta (knee) has an outside shot to play in Sunday's wild-card game against the Rams, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
LaPorta exited this past Sunday's win over the Vikings with what has been reported as a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise after his foot got stuck in the turf, forcing his knee to bend the wrong way. He needed to be carted to the locker room, but the diagnosis is much better than initially feared. If LaPorta can't play against Los Angeles, Brock Wright (hip), if he's available, and James Mitchell would appear to be the next players up at tight end for Detroit. Campbell said he doesn't anticipate signing a player at the position this week.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Likely nature of knee issues revealed
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LaPorta is believed to have sustained a hyperextension and a bone bruise in his left knee during Sunday's 30-20 win versus the Vikings, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
In a postgame media session, coach Dan Campbell told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that the Lions will have more info regarding LaPorta's diagnosis Monday, but the likely injuries have since been revealed. Ultimately, it's not as serious as it could have been, per Campbell, but there's a decent chance LaPorta misses time as a result.
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Lions' Sam LaPorta: Impressive numbers in Week 17 loss
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LaPorta secured seven of 12 targets for 84 yards in the Lions' 20-19 loss to the Cowboys on Saturday night.
LaPorta led the Lions in receptions and targets while checking in second to Amon-Ra St. Brown in receiving yards. The talented tight end was especially impressive on the final drive, kickstarting the march with two receptions for 35 yards and adding a 15-yard grab later in the possession that set up St. Brown's 11-yard touchdown catch. LaPorta's reception and yardage totals were his best since Week 13, and he'll have a chance to put a stamp on a stellar regular season against the Vikings in a Week 18 divisional home clash on Jan. 7.
