Jameson Williams Cleared to Practice, Sam LaPorta Held Out for Lions
Williams shook off a shoulder issue after missing two days, while LaPorta — fresh off back surgery — sat out for undisclosed reasons ahead of Sunday.
Post-surgery day off, no red flags yet — don't panic in drafts.
- Williams back at practice after 2 missed days (shoulder)
- LaPorta DNP, reason not disclosed
- LaPorta coming off offseason back surgery
- Williams: 65 rec, 1117 yds, 7 TD in 2025
- Sunday's preseason game vs Commanders looms
Two of Detroit's fantasy-relevant pass-catchers went opposite directions on the practice field Wednesday. Jameson Williams, who'd sat out the previous two days with a shoulder injury, is back and cleared to go. Sam LaPorta, meanwhile, did not practice — and the Lions aren't saying why.
That's the part worth watching. LaPorta is coming off back surgery this offseason, and any absence in that context gets a second look. The optimistic read is simple maintenance: give the tight end a day to stay fresh with the regular season closing in. Nobody's confirmed that's the case, but nothing indicates a setback either.
Williams' news is cleaner and more useful. A two-day shoulder scare that resolves into a full return before the second preseason game is exactly the outcome you want from your WR2 investment. He posted 65 catches for 1,117 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2025 — 220 PPR points across 17 games — and he lands at No. 49 overall (WR12) in our current rankings.
The LaPorta Question
Head coach Dan Campbell has said plenty of starters will suit up against the Commanders on Sunday, but he hasn't committed either Williams or LaPorta to that game. Most of Detroit's front-liners skipped the preseason opener, so a cautious approach here isn't unusual. For LaPorta specifically, keeping him wrapped in bubble wrap through August makes sense given the surgery.
The fantasy math on LaPorta is muddier than his talent suggests. He managed just 9 games in 2025 and finished with 40 catches, 489 yards and 3 scores — 107 PPR points, good for TE26 and No. 185 overall in our ranks. That's a value price on a player who was a locked-in TE1 when healthy. His last five games ran 2.8 fantasy points above his season average, so the ceiling is still there.
Bottom line: HOLD LaPorta and don't let one undisclosed DNP scare you off his draft-day discount — but track Thursday's report before your final rankings. Williams needs no such caveat; he's a confident WR2 in all formats and his form trend (+2 points over his last five in 2025) backs it up. Draft him where you had him and move on.
