Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Darnell Washington vs Travis KelceWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Travis Kelce is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.1 PPG to Darnell Washington's 4.5 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Travis Kelce is the better fantasy play this season.

Travis Kelce is the better play on a neutral week. 9.1 PPG with 852 yards gives a reliable baseline. Darnell Washington at 4.5 PPG is not far behind and could win specific weeks where matchup and game script align. Draft Travis Kelce higher, but do not fade Darnell Washington entirely.

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

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TEPittsburgh Steelers#38

Darnell Washington

PPG

4.5

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

364

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 9

TEKansas City Chiefs#10PPG LEADER

Travis Kelce

PPG

9.1

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

851

Rec TDs

Targets

108

Bye

Week 5

The Edge Chart

Darnell Washington

Travis Kelce

Head to Head

4.5 PPG9.1 PPG

13 GP17 GP

Bye: Week 9Bye: Week 5

Fantasy Tiers

Darnell Washington: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #38 at the position). Travis Kelce: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #10 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Darnell Washington is producing at 20% of elite pace and Travis Kelce at 41%. That ranking gap means Travis Kelce carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Darnell Washington vs Travis Kelce: The Full Breakdown

Deciding between Darnell Washington and Travis Kelce is a common lineup dilemma for fantasy managers. The Pittsburgh Steelers tight end put up 4.5 PPG in 2025 over 13 games; Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs averaged 9.1 in 17. A 4.6-point margin that could shift on any given week.

The per-game difference of 4.6 points favors Travis Kelce, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one tight end to the other.

Travis Kelce is the volume tight end in this matchup with 76 receptions for 851 yards, while Darnell Washington profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 31 catches). In weeks where Darnell Washington finds the end zone he out-scores Travis Kelce, but the floor gap is real.

Darnell Washington has his bye in Week 9, and Travis Kelce rests in Week 5. 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

Travis Kelce is a buy in trades where the other manager is chasing upside at a different position. Darnell Washington is a hold unless you can flip him for a positional upgrade elsewhere on your roster. Dynasty outlook: Darnell Washington (age 24) has years of prime production ahead. Buy-and-hold dynasty asset. Travis Kelce (age 36) is in the later years of production. Still a redraft asset, but dynasty value is declining.

Did You Know?

•Travis Kelce outscored Darnell Washington by a projected 78 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Travis Kelce played 17 games in 2025 compared to Darnell Washington's 13. That durability gap means Travis Kelce contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Travis Kelce scored 5 total touchdowns in 2025 (0.3 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at tight end.
•Travis Kelce saw 108 targets in 2025. Target volume is the single strongest predictor of weekly PPR production at the tight end position.
•Darnell Washington is 12 years younger than Travis Kelce (24 vs 36), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Darnell Washington vs Travis Kelce: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Darnell Washington	Travis Kelce
PPG (Half-PPR)	4.5	9.1
Games Played	13	17
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	59	155
Receptions	31	76
Rec/Game	2.4	4.5
Receiving Yards	364	851
Rec Yds/Game	28.0	50.1
Receiving TDs	1	5
Targets	43	108
Target Share/Game	3.3	6.4
Age	24	36
Experience	2 yrs	12 yrs
Bye Week	Week 9	Week 5

Summary

9.1 PPG for Travis Kelce versus 4.5 for Darnell Washington in 2025. The baseline favors Travis Kelce, though the right weekly matchup can flip the script. For a full breakdown that weighs matchup quality, form, and injury reports, try DraftCall's AI comparison engine.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Darnell Washington or Travis Kelce in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Travis Kelce has the edge at 9.1 PPG compared to Darnell Washington's 4.5 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 Darnell Washington and Travis Kelce average in 2025?▾

Darnell Washington averaged 4.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 13 games in 2025. Travis Kelce averaged 9.1 PPG over 17 games. That is a difference of 4.6 points per game.

When are Darnell Washington and Travis Kelce's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Darnell Washington (PIT) has a bye in Week 9, and Travis Kelce (KC) has a bye in Week 5. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Darnell Washington or Travis Kelce a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Travis Kelce outscored Darnell Washington by 4.6 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.