Hunter Long or Will Kacmarek: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 1 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Long's clean status keeps two low-volume TEs level
Keep both on the bench: Long's clean availability offsets Kacmarek's higher projection and better team environment. The equally restrictive matchup matters because neither has dependable receiving volume—Long lacks an established role, while Kacmarek is primarily a blocking backup. Kacmarek's projection gap is mostly noise at this extremely low baseline, but his questionable tag creates the sharper immediate risk.
What flips it: A confirmed Kacmarek scratch.
Sources: azcardinals.com · Aug 30, 2026
AI editor
Hunter Long
0.30.40.5 Projected Points
Will Kacmarek
1.31.92.4 Projected Points
Why Hunter Long
SitSit — projects TE92 this week: LAC is the 5th-toughest matchup vs TEs, 17.0 implied team total caps the ceiling.
- Long's clean status is meaningful in a near-zero-volume matchup, but it cannot create targets.
- Arizona's trade for Long signals a new role, not an established receiving workload (azcardinals.com 2026-08-30).
Latest on Long
Veteran played with Mike LaFleur for two seasons in L.A.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Will Kacmarek
SitBackup TE in blocking role. In-line contributor with minimal receiving usage.
Sit — projects TE52 this week: LV is the 5th-toughest matchup vs TEs, Questionable on the latest report.
- His blocking assignment explains why the higher projection still carries little ceiling.
- A questionable tag can turn an already thin receiving role into a zero.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Hunter Long | Will Kacmarek |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 0.30.40.5 | 1.31.92.4 |
| Opponent vs position | LAC · 5 of 3217-game sample | LV · 5 of 3217-game sample |
| Receptions | 3 of 32 | 3 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 4 of 32 | 3 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 9 of 32 | 9 of 32 |
| Targets | 2 of 32 | 3 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 9 of 32 | 9 of 32 |
| Target share | 8%(2025) | — |
| Reception share | 9%(2025) | — |
| Implied total · spread | 17.0+11.5 | 19.3+3.0 |
| Depth chart | TE3 | TE2 |
| Snap share | 47%(2025) | — |
| Injury designation | — | Questionable |
Signal breakdown
- 0.5 vs 2.4 projected PPR pointsWill Kacmarek +
- Consensus position rankeven
- Opponent DvP rank 5 vs 5 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 17.0 vs 19.3 team pointsWill Kacmarek +
- no designation vs QuestionableHunter Long +
- Snap shareeven
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