Who Should I Start? Travis Kelce or Austin Hooper

Wednesday, November 26, 5:21 PM

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce could feast in a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13. Kelce was third on the team in receiving yards last week against the Indianapolis Colts, but he's been one of the most productive tight ends in fantasy football this season. The veteran tight end is averaging 61.3 receiving yards per game this year, which would be third among tight ends, just behind Trey McBride and Brock Bowers. Kelce has enjoyed a resurgent season after a disappointing 2024 year from a production standpoint. Kelce will now face a Cowboys defense that is middle-of-the-pack in fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends this season, but he should find more success than most. The Cowboys offense should be able to put up points against the Kansas City defense, which would translate into more receiving opportunities for Kelce. Kelce is ranked TE5 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a rock-solid TE1 start for Thanksgiving Day.

Wednesday, November 19, 2:59 AM

New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper (concussion) carved out standalone fantasy value in his role behind Hunter Henry last season, but he has failed to establish himself as a worthwhile fantasy addition during the 2025 campaign. He went from the overall TE24 in PPR leagues last year to TE45 through Week 11 this season. The 31-year-old hasn't registered more than three targets in a single game this season, which is a major step backward after he averaged 3.5 targets per game in 2024. While Henry has cemented himself as the Patriots' top tight end and is one reason for Hooper's underwhelming year, the bigger factor is likely the wide receivers' increased productivity. Players like Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, and Mack Hollins have elevated this position room higher than in years past, leaving fewer opportunities for a backup tight end like Hooper. An injury has complicated his status even more, as Hooper missed Week 11 in concussion protocol and remains up in the air for Week 12 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Even if he plays, he'll remain off the fantasy radar in all leagues. His only path to fantasy relevance would be a Hunter Henry injury.