Must-Have Dynasty Rookies: Sam LaPorta (2023 Fantasy Football)

Check out a few of my must-have dynasty rookies that I’m targeting in rookie drafts and beyond. And you can find all of my must-have dynasty rookies in this article.

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Must-Have Dynasty Rookies

Here are the players I’m targeting at the end of the first round of rookie drafts and beyond:

Sam LaPorta (TE – Lions)

LaPorta won’t be the first tight end to come off the board in rookie drafts — Dalton Kincaid will have that honor — but could end up being a highly productive pass catcher in the NFL.

The 6-foot-3, 245-pound LaPorta was a combine standout who ran a 4.59 and also fared well in the jumps and agility drills. The athleticism shows up on the field, where he consistently gets open and then causes headaches for defenders after the catch.

Iowa TE Sam LaPorta should be quite a bit better in the NFL because he'll actually have a functional offense. pic.twitter.com/fzsjOiJEor

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) March 24, 2023

For the last two seasons, LaPorta has been far and away the best weapon in a toothless Iowa offense. Over LaPorta’s last two college seasons, the Hawkeyes averaged 168.8 passing yards per game. LaPorta nevertheless had more than 650 receiving yards in each of those seasons. No other Iowa pass catcher had even 400 receiving yards for Iowa in 2021 or 2022. An early second-round pick, LaPorta is likely to start for the Lions right away and could be fantasy-viable immediately.