Week 18 Fantasy Football Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Travis Kelce Vs. Colby Parkinson
In this story:
Fantasy football managers will look for notable production from the tight end position in Week 18 and two players raise one of the more difficult start-sit decisions among the position group this week: Travis Kelce and Colby Parkinson. The two veteran pass-catchers are slated to offer valuable output in the final week of the regular season, and could play massive roles in fantasy victories in Week 18.
Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs are slated to go on the road to take on the Las Vegas Raiders, looking to close the season on a high note despite failing to make the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. On the other hand, Parkinson and the Rams will square off against the Arizona Cardinals, looking to improve their playoff seeding after clinching a spot in the postseason. But who deserves to start among Week 18 fantasy lineups between the two veteran pass-catchers?
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleThe Case For Travis Kelce
Despite intensified rumblings of a potential retirement, Kelce has continued to post some of the top production of any tight end in the league in his 13th NFL season. Entering Week 18, the veteran pass-catcher will anchor an injury-riddled receiving group for the Chiefs’ depleted offensive attack.
Through 16 games, Kelce has hauled in 73 of his 102 targets for 839 yards and five touchdowns, earning the 11th Pro Bowl selection of his career. The future Hall-of-Famer will look to help lead the Chiefs to a win against a lackluster Raiders defense, which presents a favorable matchup for Kelce, despite injuries to the quarterback position. While his offensive situation may not be as favorable as that of Parkinson, Kelce’s projected volume as Kansas City’s premier offensive threat helps build confidence in his case to start among Week 18 lineups.
The Case For Colby Parkinson
Colby Parkinson has offered valuable production to one of the most explosive passing attacks in the NFL throughout the regular season. The star tight end comes into the day ranked third on the team in receiving yards, emerging as one of Matthew Stafford’s top targets near the red zone. Though his output hasn’t matched that of Kelce, he presents a compelling case to start in Week 18 fantasy lineups.
Entering Sunday’s game, Parkinson has hauled in 39 passes for 372 receiving yards and six touchdowns over 49 targets. Star wideout Davante Adams, the NFL’s leader in receiving touchdowns, is likely to be sidelined for the team’s matchup against Arizona. This moves Parkinson up to Stafford’s No. 2 option in the passing game behind All-Pro wideout Puka Nacua. With expanded volume, Parkinson could emerge as one of the top tight ends of the week to close out the regular season.
The Final Verdict
Considering his help at quarterback, paired with his projected volume with Adams sidelined, I’m going to start Parkinson over Kelce for Week 18 lineups. Though Chris Oladokun has played well in the absence of Patrick Mahomes and Garnder Minshew, he presents a relatively low ceiling for the Chiefs’ passing game. On the other hand, Stafford is working to cap off a stellar MVP-caliber campaign with a win to jump to the No. 5 seed in the NFC, presenting a higher ceiling with a safer floor for Parkinson’s fantasy managers in Week 18.
Read More Fantasy On SI News
Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.