Who Should I Start? Travis Kelce or Austin Hooper

Thursday, July 23, 6:02 AM

While long-gone are the league-winning days of a sustained fantasy peak as high as the tight end position has ever seen, veteran Travis Kelce remains an important piece of the Kansas City Chiefs' offense, and he has become an overlooked value in the late rounds of 2026 drafts. Across three down years by his own lofty standards, Kelce has finished as the TE3, the TE6, and the TE3 since 2023, topping 75 catches and 800 receiving yards in all three seasons. The Chiefs are anticipating a return to form from wide receiver Rashee Rice after he's missed 22 games over the past two seasons due to injury and suspension. Still, the core of Kansas City's pass catchers remains relatively unchanged, and Kelce should continue to serve as one of Patrick Mahomes II's most trusted outlets as the two-time MVP regains confidence in his surgically repaired left knee. With a recent inflow of talented young players at the position, Kelce is no longer a threat to claim the top spot for fantasy, but as RotoBaller's TE12, he's a safe bet to outperform ADP expectations once again while providing one of the highest weekly floors in the league.