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Sam LaPorta and Luke Musgrave have been two of the most productive rookies during the 2023 fantasy football season. They are both tight ends, traditionally the most difficult fantasy position to find consistently reliable output, making their strong starts even more impressive. This has made each of them a valuable fantasy asset with plenty of upside to keep improving.
In Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season, the two rookie standouts will face off on Thursday Night Football when the Green Bay Packers host the Detroit Lions. As both have been solid TEs this year, it's fair to wonder which option is better for fantasy lineups this week.
Is Sam LaPorta a good pick in fantasy football Week 4?
While the Detroit Lions featured a strong overall offensive unit during the 2022 NFL season, they had a glaring need for a tight end. They never replaced T.J. Hockenson last year after trading him away to the Minnesota Vikings, giving them one of the weakest tight-end groups in the NFL. They needed to address the issue during the offseason and did so by selecting Sam LaPorta in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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One of the biggest things LaPorta had going for him was the fact that he played his college football career for the Iowa Hawkeyes. They have consistently produced successful NFL tight ends, including Hockenson, George Kittle, and Noah Fant, three current starters. LaPorta is looking to be the next big name on that list, and he's off to a good start through the first three games of his career.
In each of the three weeks of the 2023 NFL season, LaPorta has increased his output and finished among the top eight fantasy football tight ends in PPR leagues. His targets and yardage have increased every game, demonstrating his meteoric rise. It all came together in Week 3, when he exploded for eight receptions on 11 targets for 84 yards and a touchdown, finishing as the overall TE1 in fantasy football.
Also Read: Should I trade for Sam LaPorta?
LaPorta has quickly established himself as a preferred target for Jared Goff, possibly trailing only superstar wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in the target hierarchy of their passing game. This is an extremely valuable distinction, as the Lions offense is among the most high-powered in the NFL. His consistent improvement in his production, paired with his implied offensive role, suggests that LaPorta's stock will only continue going up as the year plays out.
Up next for the rookie TE is a Week 4 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. While the Packers have an excellent passing defense, they are mediocre defending tight ends, allowing the 13th most fantasy points per game to the position. This suggests that Goff could look LaPorta's way often, as the Packers rank in the top ten in shutting down fantasy football wide receivers.
All things considered, LaPorta is one of the best overall tight ends to target in Week 4 of the 2023 fantasy football season.
Is Luke Musgrave a good pick in fantasy football Week 4?
The Green Bay Packers are wholly committed to building for the future, and they proved it during the 2023 NFL offseason. When they traded Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets, it officially began a new era in Green Bay, with Jordan Love becoming a starting quarterback for the first time. They supplemented the move by surrounding him with a new set of young offensive weapons.
The Packers moved on from Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb and replaced them with a young core of wide receivers. They took the same approach with their tight end position, moving on from long-time veteran Robert Tonyan by selecting Luke Musgrave in the 2023 NFL Draft. The young prospect appeared to have plenty of upside entering the season, especially in the Packers offense with an unclear target hierarchy featuring a new quarterback and unproven weapons.
Also Read: Fantasy Football sleepers 2023
Musgrave has been immediately impressive, making an impact in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season. He posted three receptions on four targets with 50 yards for a solid TE13 finish in fantasy football. After a down Week 2, which is normal for any rookie to have peaks and valleys, he bounced back in Week 3 for his best game of the entire season.
In a difficult matchup against the New Orleans Saints, who have consistently been one of the best defenses in covering tight ends over the past several years, Musgrave turned in six receptions on eight targets for 49 yards. He doubled his previous personal bests in receptions and targets on his way to a TE10 finish in PPR leagues. This indicates that he's gaining the trust of Jordan Love, and his role in their offense could continue to grow.
His next opportunity to take another step forward will come in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football. This presents one of the best direct weekly matchups for Musgrave, as the Lions are currently allowing the second most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends.
They also allow the tenth fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers, so it would make sense for Love to target Musgrave as much as possible and exploit his most favorable matchup.
The direct matchup situation, paired with his steady progress and best overall fantasy football game this year being his most recent one, suggests that Luke Musgrave makes a solid tight end streamer in Week 4 lineups.
For managers looking to acquire Sam LaPorta or Luke Musgrave for their rosters, make sure to reference the fantasy football trade analyzer first.
Sam LaPorta vs. Luke Musgrave: Who should I start in Week 4?
According to the Start/Sit Optimizer, Sam LaPorta makes for a better fantasy football tight end option than Luke Musgrave in Week 4. While both rookies make for solid streaming options at the challenging tight end position, LaPorta's superior involvement in his offense through the first three weeks gives him the edge over Musgrave.
One of the biggest reasons for LaPorta being the preferred choice this week is his reliability. He has recorded at least five receptions in every game this year, giving him a significantly safer floor than most other tight end options. This includes Musgrave, especially considering his disappointing TE37 finish in PPR leagues during Week 2 of the 2023 fantasy football season.
When factoring in that each of them has relatively similar ceilings this week, Sam LaPorta makes for the safer lineup option.
