Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Gunnar Helm vs Travis KelceWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Travis Kelce is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.1 PPG to Gunnar Helm's 4.4 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Travis Kelce is the better fantasy play this season.

Travis Kelce has the edge, but it is not a runaway. The 4.7-PPG advantage is real (9.1 to 4.4), and Travis Kelce's 5 touchdowns show scoring upside. Gunnar Helm 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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TETennessee Titans#40

Gunnar Helm

PPG

4.4

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

357

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

Gunnar Helm

Travis Kelce

Head to Head

4.4 PPG9.1 PPG

16 GP17 GP

Bye: Week 9Bye: Week 5

Fantasy Tiers

Gunnar Helm: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #40 at the position). Travis Kelce: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #10 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Gunnar Helm 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.

Gunnar Helm vs Travis Kelce: The Full Breakdown

Gunnar Helm and Travis Kelce are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Gunnar Helm averaged 4.4 PPG across 16 games with the Tennessee Titans, while Travis Kelce posted 9.1 PPG in 17 appearances for the Kansas City Chiefs.

A 4.7-PPG gap gives Travis Kelce 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.

Travis Kelce is the volume tight end in this matchup with 76 receptions for 851 yards, while Gunnar Helm profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (2 scores on 44 catches). In weeks where Gunnar Helm finds the end zone he out-scores Travis Kelce, but the floor gap is real.

Gunnar Helm 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

If you can acquire Travis Kelce at a discount because your league-mates undervalue tight end production, do it. Gunnar Helm is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Gunnar Helm (age 23) 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 Gunnar Helm by a projected 80 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Travis Kelce played 17 games in 2025 compared to Gunnar Helm's 16. 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.
•Gunnar Helm is 13 years younger than Travis Kelce (23 vs 36), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Gunnar Helm vs Travis Kelce: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Gunnar Helm	Travis Kelce
PPG (Half-PPR)	4.4	9.1
Games Played	16	17
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	70	155
Receptions	44	76
Rec/Game	2.8	4.5
Receiving Yards	357	851
Rec Yds/Game	22.3	50.1
Receiving TDs	2	5
Targets	55	108
Target Share/Game	3.4	6.4
Age	23	36
Experience	-	12 yrs
Bye Week	Week 9	Week 5

Summary

Travis Kelce outscored Gunnar Helm by 4.7 PPG in 2025 (9.1 to 4.4). 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 Gunnar Helm or Travis Kelce in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Travis Kelce has the edge at 9.1 PPG compared to Gunnar Helm's 4.4 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 Gunnar Helm and Travis Kelce average in 2025?▾

Gunnar Helm averaged 4.4 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 16 games in 2025. Travis Kelce averaged 9.1 PPG over 17 games. That is a difference of 4.7 points per game.

When are Gunnar Helm and Travis Kelce's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Gunnar Helm (TEN) 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 Gunnar Helm or Travis Kelce a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Travis Kelce outscored Gunnar Helm by 4.7 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.