Who Should I Start? Cole Kmet or Colston Loveland

Friday, September 12, 11:25 PM

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet had a quiet season opener, catching just one of four targets for 31 yards in the 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. His lone grab came on the final drive, a highlight-worthy one-handed diving catch over the middle. While rookie Colston Loveland has entered the rotation, Kmet still dominated usage, logging 90% of the snaps compared to Loveland's 56%, and handling 77% of one-tight-end sets versus Loveland's 23%. The volume and role remain encouraging, but the matchup is a major concern in Week 2. The Bears face a Detroit Lions defense that allowed the fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2024. With a difficult opponent and a reduced ceiling due to Loveland's presence, Kmet is better left on fantasy benches this week.

Monday, September 15, 5:23 PM

Chicago Bears rookie tight end Colston Loveland was held without a catch in the team's 52-21 blowout loss to the Detroit Lions. It was another quiet outing for the rookie, as Detroit's defense (ranked No. 1 against tight ends in 2024) completely erased the tight ends from the Bears' passing game. The usage split continues to favor veteran Cole Kmet, who logged nearly a 90% snap share compared to Loveland's 53%. With such a limited role, Loveland remains unstartable in all fantasy formats for the time being. That said, the Bears invested premium draft capital in Loveland, and his athletic upside hasn't gone away. As Chicago's offense settles in and game scripts become more competitive later in the season, his opportunities should grow. For now, he's a bench stash with long-term upside and should not be available in deeper formats.