Who Should I Start? Cole Kmet or Isaiah Likely

Tuesday, December 17, 12:25 PM

Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet once again was an afterthought in the team's lackluster offense in the Monday night loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, catching his only target for a pickup of 14 yards. Kmet was on the field plenty -- he played 93 percent of the offensive snaps on the evening -- but rookie quarterback Caleb Williams continued to rely mostly on his three receivers in Keenan Allen, DJ Moore and rookie Rome Odunze. In the last three games, Kmet has just four receptions on four targets (he didn't have a target in Week 14 against the San Francisco 49ers) for 40 yards and no touchdowns. He hasn't scored a touchdown since a two-TD performance in Week 6 and has 16 receptions for 159 yards and no TDs in six games since the team's bye. Fantasy managers still alive in the playoffs should look for a better TE option in Week 16 when Chicago faces the division-rival Detroit Lions.

Friday, December 20, 10:53 AM

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely should be considered a very high-risk bet in the fantasy playoffs with the Ravens playing host to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16. The third-year tight end's ups and downs have been wild this season, ranging from a TE1 showing in Week 1 to a zero-target performance despite playing more than half of Baltimore's offensive snaps in Week 12. With receivers Rashod Bateman (foot) and Nelson Agholor (concussion) questionable and Pittsburgh ranking a middling 17th against tight ends, Likely certainly could find himself drawing more targets. But betting on which weeks Likely will pop is like a scratch-off lottery ticket. Tread carefully.