Who Should I Start? Travis Kelce or Trey McBride

Wednesday, December 24, 4:42 PM

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce could be heavily involved on Christmas Day against the Denver Broncos. Kelce caught one pass for six yards on four targets in Week 16, giving fantasy managers one of his most disappointing performances of the season. With the Chiefs already eliminated from playoff contention, there is little left to play for except legacy. The 36-year-old tight end has not explicitly stated that this is his last season with the team, but there has been speculation that he could hang it up after this year. If Kelce does plan to retire this offseason, Christmas Day at Arrowhead could be Kelce's last home game of his career. Given the inexperience of Chris Oladokun at quarterback, Kelce could operate close to the line of scrimmage and act as a release valve for the QB. Kelce will also have to deal with one of the best defenses in the league, the Denver Broncos. Despite giving up the fifth-fewest points per game this season, the Broncos defense has been relatively soft against tight ends. Kelce is ranked TE18 in our RotoBaller Half-PPR rankings, making him a low-end TE2 option for fantasy managers this Thursday.

Saturday, December 20, 4:02 PM

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride remains a top fantasy option despite a difficult matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16. On paper, it may appear that the odds are stacked against McBride. Not only is he facing a Falcons defense that has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in 2025, but he could also face additional competition if Marvin Harrison Jr. (heel, questionable) returns from his two-game absence. However, McBride has consistently established himself as matchup-proof this year, so he should feast despite facing Atlanta. Furthermore, he could still lead the team in targets and catches, even if Harrison does return to the mix. In total this year, the 26-year-old has 105 catches, 1,071 yards, and a career-high 10 touchdowns. He is on track to finish this year as the overall TE1 in PPR leagues after finishing 2024 as the TE2. McBride has especially benefited from the presence of quarterback Jacoby Brissett. In full-PPR leagues, he averaged 12.5 fantasy points per game with Kyler Murray (foot) as the starter, and a whopping 23.3 fantasy points per game with Brissett as the starter. We should expect more otherworldly, video-game numbers from McBride this week. He's the undisputed TE1 in this week's fantasy rankings and should be a must-start as the fantasy playoffs continue.