Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Hayden Hurst vs Travis KelceWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Travis Kelce is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 9.1 PPG to Hayden Hurst's 3.7 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Travis Kelce is the better fantasy play this season.

Travis Kelce is clearly the better fantasy option heading into 2026. With 9.1 PPG and 852 total yards in 2025, the production separation is too wide to overcome on matchup alone. Hayden Hurst (3.7 PPG) is a hold, not a sell, but roster Travis Kelce as the starter and Hayden Hurst as depth.

High confidence: stats strongly favor the leader, and the gap is unlikely to close on matchup alone.

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TELos Angeles Chargers#99

Hayden Hurst

PPG

3.7

Games

Rec

Rec Yds

238

Rec TDs

Targets

Bye

Week 5

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

Hayden Hurst

Travis Kelce

Head to Head

3.7 PPG9.1 PPG

14 GP17 GP

Bye: Week 5Bye: Week 5

Fantasy Tiers

Hayden Hurst: Tier 5 (Deep League) TE (ranked #99 at the position). Travis Kelce: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) TE (ranked #10 at the position). Among the top 30 tight ends this season, Hayden Hurst is producing at 17% 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.

Hayden Hurst vs Travis Kelce: The Full Breakdown

Hayden Hurst and Travis Kelce are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Hayden Hurst averaged 3.7 PPG across 14 games with the Los Angeles Chargers, while Travis Kelce posted 9.1 PPG in 17 appearances for the Kansas City Chiefs.

A 5.4-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 Hayden Hurst profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 25 catches). In weeks where Hayden Hurst finds the end zone he out-scores Travis Kelce, but the floor gap is real.

One thing to note: both players share a Week 5 bye. That means you need a backup plan at tight end for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Travis Kelce at a discount because your league-mates undervalue tight end production, do it. Hayden Hurst is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Hayden Hurst (age 27) is in the middle of his productive window. Stable dynasty value. 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 Hayden Hurst by a projected 92 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Travis Kelce played 17 games in 2025 compared to Hayden Hurst's 14. 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.
•Both players share a Week 5 bye. If you roster both, you will need a replacement at the position that week.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Hayden Hurst vs Travis Kelce: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Hayden Hurst	Travis Kelce
PPG (Half-PPR)	3.7	9.1
Games Played	14	17
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	52	155
Receptions	25	76
Rec/Game	1.8	4.5
Receiving Yards	238	851
Rec Yds/Game	17.0	50.1
Receiving TDs	1	5
Targets	35	108
Target Share/Game	2.5	6.4
Age	-	36
Experience	-	12 yrs
Bye Week	Week 5	Week 5

Summary

Travis Kelce outscored Hayden Hurst by 5.4 PPG in 2025 (9.1 to 3.7). 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 Hayden Hurst or Travis Kelce in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Travis Kelce has the edge at 9.1 PPG compared to Hayden Hurst's 3.7 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 Hayden Hurst and Travis Kelce average in 2025?▾

Hayden Hurst averaged 3.7 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 14 games in 2025. Travis Kelce averaged 9.1 PPG over 17 games. That is a difference of 5.4 points per game.

Do Hayden Hurst and Travis Kelce share a bye week?▾

Yes, both Hayden Hurst and Travis Kelce share a Week 5 bye in 2026. If you roster both, you will need a fill-in at tight end for that week.

Is Hayden Hurst or Travis Kelce a better fantasy tight end in 2026?▾

Travis Kelce outscored Hayden Hurst by 5.4 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.