Start Charlie Kolar over Hunter Long — Week 1 Start/Sit Verdict

Start Kolar — the matchup and game script edges are too wide to ignore.

Charlie Kolar draws the softer matchup (ARI ranks 27 of 32 against TEs; LAC ranks 5) and plays in the better game script (28.5 implied team points to 17.0). Long's edge is snap share, 47% to 40%. The gap is wide.

Charlie Kolar

TE26LACvs ARI

1.41.82.3 Projected Points

Sit· high

Hunter Long

TEARIvs LAC

0.30.40.5 Projected Points

Sit

Why Charlie Kolar

Sit· high

TE1 in a blocking-first role. Large-frame in-line piece with limited target volume.

Kolar is a 40% snap, 5% target-share TE2 with a 2.3-point projection — TE26 is below any startable line in 12-team PPR.

ARI ranks 27 of 32 against TEs (one of the softer matchups, 17-game sample).
Vegas implies 28.5 team points as 11.5-point favorites.
Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 40% snap share in 2025.

The call

The usage is the whole story: 40% snap share and a 5% target share across 13 games means he's a blocking-first TE, not a pass-game piece.
A 2.3-point consensus projection at TE26 sits well under replacement level — nearly any streaming TE offers a higher floor and ceiling.
The DvP composite ranks ARI 27 of 32 (softest end), but it's a 0-game sample with 0.00 confidence, so there's no matchup edge to lean on.
The 28.5 implied total and -11.5 spread point to a run-heavy, ball-control second half, which further caps his target volume rather than boosting it.

Why Hunter Long

Sit

Sit — projects TE92 this week: LAC is the 5th-toughest matchup vs TEs, 17.0 implied team total caps the ceiling.

LAC ranks 5 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 17-game sample).
Vegas implies 17.0 team points as 11.5-point underdogs.
Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 47% snap share in 2025.

Latest on Long

Cardinals Add Tight End With Trade For Hunter Long

Veteran played with Mike LaFleur for two seasons in L.A.

azcardinals.com · Aug 30, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

Metric	Charlie Kolar	Hunter Long
Projected points	1.41.82.3	0.30.40.5
Consensus rank	TE26	—
Opponent vs position	ARI · 27 of 3217-game sample	LAC · 5 of 3217-game sample
Receptions	30 of 32	3 of 32
Receiving Yards	30 of 32	4 of 32
Receiving TDs	26 of 32	9 of 32
Targets	24 of 32	2 of 32
Anytime TD	26 of 32	9 of 32
Target share	5%(2025)	8%(2025)
Reception share	5%(2025)	9%(2025)
Implied total · spread	28.5-11.5	17.0+11.5
Depth chart	TE1	TE3
Snap share	40%(2025)	47%(2025)