Start Travis Kelce or T.J. Hockenson? Week 8

Our Week 8 call

Start Travis Kelce over T.J. Hockenson in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Travis Kelce at 11.2 points and T.J. Hockenson at 10.1, a gap of 1.1. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. Drafters take Travis Kelce at ADP 113 and T.J. Hockenson at 224.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 11.2 fantasy points for Travis Kelce, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market-based projection for Travis Kelce is 47 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0.3 touchdowns (12, 10 and 13 market sources).

Player markets imply 10.1 fantasy points for T.J. Hockenson, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market-based projection for T.J. Hockenson is 39 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0.3 touchdowns (9, 10 and 13 market sources).

That puts Travis Kelce 1.1 points ahead of T.J. Hockenson on the market projections.

Week 8 matchups

Travis Kelce and KC visit DEN on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

DEN allowed 16.0 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 7 games, the 9th most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 65 yards and 0.6 touchdowns a game against DEN.

T.J. Hockenson and MIN visit DET on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

DET allowed 29.4 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 6 games, the most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 100 yards and 1.7 touchdowns a game against DET.

By points allowed to the position, T.J. Hockenson has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Travis Kelce is not on the injury report.

T.J. Hockenson is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Travis Kelce played 78 percent of KC snaps, drew 20 percent of the targets, earned 19 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Travis Kelce, Week 3 against MIA: 41 of 52 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 59 yards, 1 touchdown.

Travis Kelce, Week 4 against LV: 50 of 60 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 15 yards.

Travis Kelce, Week 6 against LAC: 40 of 61 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 53 yards.

Travis Kelce, Week 7 against SEA: 44 of 53 snaps, 8 targets and 4 catches for 44 yards.

Through Week 7, T.J. Hockenson played 63 percent of MIN snaps, drew 21 percent of the targets, earned 19 percent of the air yards and had 18 percent of the red zone chances.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 3 against TB: 50 of 59 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 11 yards.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 4 against MIA: 65 of 78 snaps, 13 targets and 13 catches for 119 yards.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 5 against NO: 2 of 71 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 7 yards.

T.J. Hockenson, Week 7 against IND: 45 of 59 snaps, 5 targets and 4 catches for 35 yards, 1 touchdown.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Travis Kelce played 17 games for KC and scored 193.2 PPR points, 11.4 a game, finishing TE3.

He caught 76 of 108 targets for 851 yards and 5 touchdowns, with 11 red zone targets and 428 air yards.

He was on the field for 81 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, T.J. Hockenson played 15 games for MIN and scored 112.8 PPR points, 7.5 a game, finishing TE26.

He caught 51 of 66 targets for 438 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 11 red zone targets and 224 air yards.

He was on the field for 79 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

• Start Travis Kelce over Brenton Strange.
• Start Brock Bowers over Travis Kelce.
• Start Travis Kelce over Cade Otton.
• Start Brenton Strange over T.J. Hockenson.
• Start Brock Bowers over T.J. Hockenson.
• Start T.J. Hockenson over Cade Otton.