Chig Okonkwo or Gunnar Helm: Toss-Up — Week 1 Start/Sit Verdict

Too close to call — the edges cancel out.

Chig Okonkwo and Gunnar Helm grade out even this week. Okonkwo's best edge is snap share (64% to 53%), Helm's best edge is the consensus rank (TE23 to TE25) — and they cancel out. Start whichever player's game you trust more this week.

Chig Okonkwo

TE25WSHvs PHI

3.85.36.8 Projected Points

Toss-Up

Gunnar Helm

TE23TENvs NYJ

4.25.87.5 Projected Points

Toss-Up

Why Chig Okonkwo

Toss-Up

Starting TE in move/flex role. Athletic seam-stretcher with yards-after-catch juice, light in-line blocker.

Toss-up — TE25 consensus, projects TE26 this week: PHI is the 2nd-toughest matchup vs TEs, 15% target share in 2025.

PHI ranks 2 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 0-game sample).
Vegas implies 20.5 team points as 5.5-point underdogs.
Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 64% snap share in 2025.

Why Gunnar Helm

Toss-Up

Starting 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	Chig Okonkwo	Gunnar Helm
Projected points	3.85.36.8	4.25.87.5
Consensus rank	TE25	TE23
Opponent vs position	PHI · 2 of 320-game sample	NYJ · 20 of 320-game sample
Receptions	2 of 32	17 of 32
Receiving Yards	1 of 32	17 of 32
Receiving TDs	1 of 32	26 of 32
Targets	6 of 32	16 of 32
Anytime TD	1 of 32	26 of 32
Target share	15%(2025)	11%(2025)
Reception share	17%(2025)	14%(2025)
Implied total · spread	20.5+5.5	21.3-3.0
Depth chart	TE1	TE1
Snap share	64%(2025)	53%(2025)