Brenton Strange vs Trey McBride: Who Should You Start?
The numbers tell a clear story here. Trey McBride put up 14.9 fantasy points per game for the Arizona Cardinals in 2025, while Brenton Strange managed 7.9 across 12 games with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A 7.0-point weekly edge is substantial at the tight end position.
A 7.0-PPG gap gives Trey McBride the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Trey McBride is the volume tight end in this matchup with 126 receptions for 1239 yards, while Brenton Strange profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (3 scores on 46 catches). In weeks where Brenton Strange finds the end zone he out-scores Trey McBride, but the floor gap is real.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Brenton Strange sits Week 12 while Trey McBride is off Week 11. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
