Brenton Strange or Gunnar Helm: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Start Strange — the snap share and game script edges are too wide to ignore.
Brenton Strange plays a 75% snap share to Helm's 53% and plays in the better game script (24.0 implied team points to 21.3). No signal favors Helm this week. The gap is comfortable.
Brenton Strange
TE21JAXvs CLE
4.96.58.1 Projected Points
Start
Gunnar Helm
TE23TENvs NYJ
4.25.87.5 Projected Points
Toss-Up
Why Brenton Strange
StartStarting TE and ascending pass-catcher. Athletic seam target with adequate in-line blocking.
Start — TE21 by consensus and projection: CLE is the 9th-toughest matchup vs TEs, 24.0 implied team total.
- CLE ranks 9 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 0-game sample).
- Vegas implies 24.0 team points as 7.5-point favorites.
- Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 75% snap share in 2025.
Why Gunnar Helm
Toss-UpStarting TE and volume underneath target. Reliable seam and checkdown option with developing in-line blocking.
Toss-up — TE23 by consensus and projection: 11% target share in 2025, 7.5 PPR projected vs NYJ.
- NYJ ranks 20 of 32 against TEs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 0-game sample).
- Vegas implies 21.3 team points as 3.0-point favorites.
- Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 53% snap share in 2025.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Brenton Strange | Gunnar Helm |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 4.96.58.1 | 4.25.87.5 |
| Consensus rank | TE21 | TE23 |
| Opponent vs position | CLE · 9 of 320-game sample | NYJ · 20 of 320-game sample |
| Receptions | 10 of 32 | 17 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 15 of 32 | 17 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 1 of 32 | 26 of 32 |
| Targets | 13 of 32 | 16 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 5 of 32 | 26 of 32 |
| Target share | 16%(2025) | 11%(2025) |
| Reception share | 19%(2025) | 14%(2025) |
| Implied total · spread | 24.0-7.5 | 21.3-3.0 |
| Depth chart | TE1 | TE1 |
| Snap share | 75%(2025) | 53%(2025) |
Signal breakdown
- 8.1 vs 7.5 projected PPR pointsBrenton Strange +
- Rank 21 vs 23Brenton Strange +
- Opponent DvP rank 9 vs 20 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 24.0 vs 21.3 team pointsBrenton Strange +
- No injury designationseven
- 75% vs 53% snap shareBrenton Strange +
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