Dalton Kincaid or Sam LaPorta Start or Sit Advice for Week 2
The Bills and Lions are going head-to-head in Buffalo on Thursday night for a marquee matchup between two Super Bowl contenders. This game’s 54.5-point total on DraftKings Sportsbook is the highest the NFL has seen this season, and both Kincaid ($6,800 for Showdown) and LaPorta ($5,400) have appeal in this likely shootout. But, if forced to choose, which tight end is the better option?
First, let’s dive into how these players performed in Week 1. LaPorta posted a serviceable 9.8 FPTS vs. the Saints while Kincaid went off for 21 FPTS vs. the Texans.
LaPorta caught 5-of-8 targets for 48 yards while seeing a target on 24% of his routes and running a route on 83% of his team’s dropbacks. The tight end saw two red zone targets, but a low 5.7 aDOT and just 1.4 YPPR. While LaPorta’s usage was compelling, him failing to catch three of his targets was disappointing and him not cracking double-digit FPTS was also a letdown, considering this game went to overtime and produced 61 points.
Kincaid was also part of a shootout, as the Bills defeated the Texans 36-31, but the tight end was way more productive, catching 5-of-6 targets for 130 yards. After running a route on just 37% of his team’s dropbacks last season, Kincaid finally saw a bigger role this past week. The tight end ran a route on 69% of his team’s dropbacks and commanded a target on 27% of his routes.
Kincaid didn’t see any red zone looks, but he saw two targets over 20 yards, both of which he hauled in. Kincaid finished with a 15.8 aDOT and 5.91 YPPR, both of which ranked first among all the tight ends who saw 5+ targets in Week 1.
He did this facing a Texans defense that gave up the second-fewest YPA last season (5.7) while LaPorta went against a Saints defense that ranked 12th (6.2).
Kincaid’s target earning ability and his YPPR averages have always been elite, but his modest route participation has been the main thing holding him back, so seeing Kincaid let loose in Week 1 was a very encouraging sign for fantasy owners. If the 26-year-old is going to run a route on most of his team’s dropbacks every week and he can stay healthy, Kincaid has a great chance to finish as a top-five scorer at the tight end position. Last season, Kincaid ranked first among tight ends in FPTS per snap and it wasn’t even close. He averaged 0.44 FPTS while Trey McBride finished second at 0.31. LaPorta ranked 18th at 0.21.
Kincaid only really has to compete with D.J. Moore ($7,800) for targets within the Bills offense, and the former leading Buffalo in looks this season could happen. Meanwhile, LaPorta plays alongside many outstanding target earners in Amon-Ra St. Brown ($10,400), Jahmyr Gibbs ($12,000) and Jameson Williams ($7,400). For this unit, LaPorta will be the third or fourth option most weeks.
Make no mistake, LaPorta is a strong option at tight end that is worth starting in Week 2, but Kincaid just brings far better upside and is the obvious choice between these two players.
