Gunnar Helm or Terrance Ferguson: Toss-Up — Week 1 Start/Sit Verdict

Too close to call — the edges cancel out.

Gunnar Helm and Terrance Ferguson grade out even this week. Helm's best edge is availability (a clean report to Ferguson's Q), Ferguson's best edge is the game script (25.8 implied points to 21.3) — and they cancel out. Start whichever player's game you trust more this week.

Gunnar Helm

TE23TENvs NYJ

4.25.87.5 Projected Points

Toss-Up

Terrance Ferguson

TE22LARvs SF

5.36.78.1 Projected Points

Toss-Up

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, 17-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.

Why Terrance Ferguson

Toss-Up

Rotational TE in pass-catching role. Movement-Y receiver with developing target share.

Toss-up — TE22 by consensus and projection: SF is the 8th-softest matchup vs TEs, 25.8 implied team total.

Carries a Questionable tag — usually plays, but monitor the final report.
SF ranks 25 of 32 against TEs (one of the softer matchups, 17-game sample).
Vegas implies 25.8 team points as 3.0-point favorites.
Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 44% snap share in 2025.

Latest on Ferguson

Terrance Ferguson wants to expand want he can do in Year 2: 'I just want to be involved in all aspects of the game'

Feeling more comfortable in the Rams' offense, second-year tight end Terrance Ferguson hoping to show more of what he's capable of in 2026.

therams.com · Sep 6, 2026

Injury Updates: Aaron Donald not practicing Monday "part of the plan all along," Myles Garrett "making really good progress," and updates on Terrance Ferguson, Grant Stuard, Keagen Trost and Justin Dedich

Rams head coach Sean McVay addressed why Aaron Donald wasn't practicing Monday, as well as injury updates on Myles Garrett, Terrance Ferguson, Grant Stuard, Keagen Trost and Justin Dedich.

therams.com · Aug 31, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

Metric	Gunnar Helm	Terrance Ferguson
Projected points	4.25.87.5	5.36.78.1
Consensus rank	TE23	TE22
Opponent vs position	NYJ · 20 of 3217-game sample	SF · 25 of 3217-game sample
Receptions	17 of 32	22 of 32
Receiving Yards	17 of 32	21 of 32
Receiving TDs	26 of 32	26 of 32
Targets	16 of 32	30 of 32
Anytime TD	26 of 32	26 of 32
Target share	11%(2025)	7%(2025)
Reception share	14%(2025)	4%(2025)
Implied total · spread	21.3-3.0	25.8-3.0
Depth chart	TE1	TE3
Snap share	53%(2025)	44%(2025)
Injury designation	—	Q