Projecting player performance is an inexact science, and that goes to the heart of fantasy football, where identifying those poised to develop or regress is critical to success. With that in mind, I’m looking at fantasy rankings across various sites, as well as where fantasy managers are drafting players, to identify those I expect to outperform their current expectations.
Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions (ADP TE8 in non-PPR)
Ever since he took the fantasy world by storm as a rookie, posting 86 receptions, 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns, LaPorta has seen his numbers dip. In his second season, the Iowa product caught 60 passes for 726 yards and seven scores. In 2025, LaPorta had a 40-489-3 line before a herniated disc wrote a premature end to his campaign after just nine games. He underwent back surgery and entered training camp healthy, though a hip injury has thrown his Week 1 availability into some doubt.
While another injury is the last thing you want to hear about someone who just missed nearly half of last season, it’s not enough to put me off the scent. LaPorta was on a 75-924-6 pace when he went down, and the hiring of new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing could be a boon for the talented tight end. It was Petzing who was at the helm when Trey McBride developed into the NFL’s top pass-catching tight end, which included an NFL-record 126 receptions in 2025. There’s some risk, but I think LaPorta has top-three upside.
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers (ADP TE11 in non-PPR)
By any measure, Kittle (Achilles) had a tough time last season. A hamstring injury knocked him out for five games right out of the gate, and a high ankle sprain cost him Week 17. Then, in the Wild Card round, he suffered a torn Achilles. What you may have missed is that, during a six-game run that began in Week 10 and went until he hurt his ankle, Kittle totaled 40 receptions, 499 yards, and five touchdowns—that’s a full-season pace of 113-1,414-14.
While the veteran is unlikely to approach those gaudy totals, he’s a known commodity for Brock Purdy in a passing attack that features late-career veterans (Mike Evans, Christian Kirk) and unproven newcomers (De’Zhaun Stribling). Only a returning Deebo Samuel offers that level of familiarity. Kittle has already been activated from the PUP, which means the 49ers believe he’ll play in the first four games of 2026. I’d rather try my luck on Kittle than someone like Dallas Goedert (TE9) or Dalton Kincaid (TE10), and I think you can make a case he holds more upside than Harold Fannin Jr. (TE6), who is stuck in a terrible offense.
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (ADP TE10)
For the better part of a decade, Kelce was the gold standard for fantasy tight ends. That status began to slip in 2024 when he finished as TE10. The wheels really came off last year as Kansas City endured their worst season in the Andy Reid era with Kelce slipping all the way to…TE5? That’s right. Under standard scoring, Kelce finished fifth in fantasy points; in PPR leagues, he was TE3 behind only Trey McBride and Kyle Pitts. Suffice to say, reports of Kelce’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Clearly, there’s a disconnect between perception (Kelce is washed) and reality (Kelce is still productive, just not as productive as he once was). With the veteran entering his age-37 season, there are naturally some reasons for concern. On the flip side, though, you’re talking about an all-time great with something to prove alongside Patrick Mahomes, who should have a chip on his shoulder after his injury and Kansas City’s disappointing 2025. That Kelce, who has recorded at least 800 yards in 12 consecutive seasons, often isn’t even being drafted as a starter is madness.
