Who Should I Start? James Hurst or Cole Kmet

Wednesday, April 24, 4:18 PM

Veteran offensive tackle James Hurst announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday, marking the end of a 10-year professional career. The 32-year-old was originally undrafted out of North Carolina in the 2014 class and signed by the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent. He spent six seasons with Baltimore before four campaigns with the New Orleans Saints. Hurst played in 150 games with 95 starts, so he clearly exceeded expectations and is a feel-good story for undrafted prospects.

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.