It would be a huge deal either way. Fenders or no, plastic or metal, you will be fine.

I have plastic fenders on my touring bike and they are nice, but I have lately been riding a road bike without fenders for lighter touring and have not really missed having them. It is definitely easier packing the bike without having to deal with fenders. So far that is only one tour without them but it was a longish tour (2400 miles from San Diego to Sarasota).

I have only had one real day of rain since I started touring without them, but I didn't miss them at all on that tour.