SportsLine 2026 fantasy sleepers: LaPorta, DeVonta Smith
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- SportsLine's model named Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (ADP 71) and Eagles wideout DeVonta Smith (ADP 37) as its top 2026 fantasy football sleepers, based on a simulation of the entire NFL season 10,000 times.
- LaPorta is projected for more red-zone work after the Lions lost David Montgomery (11 TDs per season in Detroit), and his 54.3 receiving yards in 2025 were a career high despite missing half the season; he averaged 0.7 TDs in six games without Montgomery vs. 0.4 in 36 games with him.
- DeVonta Smith produced a 1,000-yard season in 2025 while playing in a bottom-10 passing offense, and is now Philadelphia's unquestioned WR1 after the Eagles traded A.J. Brown to New England.
- The model correctly predicted Dolphins RB De'Von Achane would outperform his RB12 ADP last year — he finished sixth among RBs in CBS Sports PPR with 1,838 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns.
- The NFL Hall of Fame Game between the Cardinals and Panthers is set for this Thursday, formally opening the 2026 fantasy football draft window.
- The top 10 PPR ADPs via CBS are led by Jahmyr Gibbs (1.46), Bijan Robinson (1.85), Ja'Marr Chase (4.04), Puka Nacua (4.27) and Jonathan Taylor (5.77).
Why it matters: Sleeper identification at discounted ADPs is what separates contending fantasy teams — and SportsLine is specifically pointing to clear role-change cases, not vibes: LaPorta inherits Montgomery's goal-line work in Detroit, and Smith steps into the A.J. Brown void as Philly's new WR1. Both players cost a late-round pick (ADP 71 and ADP 37) against top-15 positional projections, which is where draft-day value lives.
