Who Should I Start? Travis Kelce or Brandin Cooks

Friday, October 17, 11:19 PM

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will face the Las Vegas Raiders at home in Week 7. Kelce caught six passes for 78 yards as he led the Chiefs pass catchers against the Detroit Lions in Week 6. The veteran tight end has strung together back-to-back good games, but that solid production could be coming to an end. Rashee Rice is set to return from suspension in Week 7, which could negatively impact Kelce's offensive contributions. Rice had an outstanding start to the 2024 season, averaging over 20 PPR points per game, but Kelce was not effective during that span. At the beginning of the 2024 season, the Chiefs tight end had eight catches for 69 yards through three games. Kelce and Rice win in the same areas of the field, and the latter is much more explosive at this point. It remains to be seen how the usage will be divided amongst the Chiefs pass catchers, so Kelce should still be a viable starter against Las Vegas this week. The Raiders have allowed the eighth-fewest points to opposing tight ends this season, but that does not mean it will be a bad matchup for Kelce. He can find success against the Raiders if Patrick Mahomes decides to feed him. Kelce is ranked TE8 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a solid TE1 this week.

Saturday, October 11, 12:12 PM

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks has recorded 12 catches for 103 yards on 16 targets across five games so far this season. The 32-year-old has served as the team's WR3 alongside Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, but if Week 5 is any indication, Cooks could be losing playing time. In Week 5, Cooks played just five more offensive snaps than Saints wideout Devaughn Vele after playing 56 more offensive snaps than Vele in Week 4. In Week 6, the Saints will take on the New England Patriots, who rank fifth-worst in yards per pass attempt allowed (8.2) through five games. Still, Cooks appears unlikely to see enough target volume to be fantasy relevant and could be losing playing time altogether in New England. Cooks should remain off the radar of fantasy managers in Week 6.