Who Should I Start? Travis Kelce or Sam LaPorta

Friday, January 17, 4:00 AM

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will face the Houston Texans on Saturday in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The 35-year-old finished the season as the team's leading receiver yet again, but his performances this season were far from what we've come to expect from the eventual Hall-of-Famer. Kelce appeared to regress as an offensive weapon, causing the team to shift toward feeding Xavier Worthy. The rookie receiver became the focal point of the Chiefs passing attack in the home stretch of the regular season, but Kelce has the edge with playoff experience. Patrick Mahomes still trusts Kelce's ability to make big plays for the team and will likely be heavily targeted against the Texans. The Houston defense put on a clinic against the Los Angeles Chargers in last week's Wild Card matchup, collecting four sacks, four interceptions, and a touchdown while only allowing 12 points. The Texans struggled to defend in the red zone this season, where Mahomes will be looking for Kelce. Kelce should be considered a safe play in DFS and playoff leagues since he is one of the most prolific playoff performers in NFL history.

Friday, January 17, 1:20 AM

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta remains a top option for fantasy managers and bettors ahead of Saturday's playoff game against the Washington Commanders. The second-year tight end exploded down the stretch, finishing as the overall TE3 in half-PPR leagues. He had two touchdowns over his final three games, and he amassed 24 catches for 281 yards over his last four contests. The Commanders have performed in a peculiar fashion against tight ends this year, surrendering the third-fewest catches and fifth-fewest receiving yards to opposing tight ends in 2024. Most important, however, is that Washington surrendered the fifth-most touchdowns to the position. LaPorta has a very strong chance to feast, especially as he continues to carve out an even larger role around the goal line.