Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Colston Loveland vs Mike GesickiWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Colston Loveland is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 8.5 PPG to Mike Gesicki's 4.7 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Colston Loveland is the better fantasy play this season.

Colston Loveland has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 3.8-PPG advantage is real (8.5 to 4.7), and Colston Loveland's 6 touchdowns show scoring upside. Mike Gesicki is the buy-low candidate if recent production has dipped, because the talent gap is smaller than the numbers suggest.

Moderate confidence: stats favor the leader, but matchup variance could flip this weekly.

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TEChicago Bears#16PPG LEADER

Colston Loveland

PPG

8.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

713

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 10

TECincinnati Bengals#36

Mike Gesicki

PPG

4.7

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

307

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 6

The Edge Chart

Colston Loveland

Mike Gesicki

Head to Head

8.5 PPG4.7 PPG

16 GP12 GP

Bye: Week 10Bye: Week 6

Fantasy Tiers

Colston Loveland: Tier 3 (Flex/Starter) TE (ranked #16 at the position). Mike Gesicki: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) TE (ranked #36 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Colston Loveland is producing at 39% of elite pace and Mike Gesicki at 21%. That ranking gap means Colston Loveland carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Colston Loveland vs Mike Gesicki: The Full Breakdown

Colston Loveland and Mike Gesicki are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Colston Loveland averaged 8.5 PPG across 16 games with the Chicago Bears, while Mike Gesicki posted 4.7 PPG in 12 appearances for the Cincinnati Bengals.

A 3.8-PPG gap gives Colston Loveland 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.

Colston Loveland is the volume tight end in this matchup with 58 receptions for 713 yards, while Mike Gesicki profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (2 scores on 28 catches). In weeks where Mike Gesicki finds the end zone he out-scores Colston Loveland, but the floor gap is real.

Colston Loveland has his bye in Week 10, and Mike Gesicki rests in Week 6. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Colston Loveland at a discount because your league-mates undervalue tight end production, do it. Mike Gesicki is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Colston Loveland (age 22) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. Mike Gesicki (age 30) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining.

Did You Know?

•Colston Loveland outscored Mike Gesicki by a projected 65 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Colston Loveland played 16 games in 2025 compared to Mike Gesicki's 12. That durability gap means Colston Loveland contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Colston Loveland scored 6 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.4 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Colston Loveland saw 82 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.
•Colston Loveland is 8 years younger than Mike Gesicki (22 vs 30), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Colston Loveland vs Mike Gesicki: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Colston Loveland	Mike Gesicki
PPG (Half-PPR)	8.5	4.7
Games Played	16	12
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	136	56
Receptions	58	28
Rec/Game	3.6	2.3
Receiving Yards	713	307
Rec Yds/Game	44.6	25.6
Receiving TDs	6	2
Targets	82	42
Target Share/Game	5.1	3.5
Age	22	30
Experience	-	7 yrs
Bye Week	Week 10	Week 6

Summary

Colston Loveland outscored Mike Gesicki by 3.8 PPG in 2025 (8.5 to 4.7). That production gap is the baseline, but weekly context shifts the answer. DraftCall analyzes matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and health data to deliver a clear start or sit recommendation backed by real reasoning.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Colston Loveland or Mike Gesicki in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Colston Loveland has the edge at 8.5 PPG compared to Mike Gesicki's 4.7 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Colston Loveland and Mike Gesicki average in 2025?▾

Colston Loveland averaged 8.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 16 games in 2025. Mike Gesicki averaged 4.7 PPG over 12 games. That is a difference of 3.8 points per game.

When are Colston Loveland and Mike Gesicki's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Colston Loveland (CHI) has a bye in Week 10, and Mike Gesicki (CIN) has a bye in Week 6. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Colston Loveland or Mike Gesicki a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Colston Loveland outscored Mike Gesicki by 3.8 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.