Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce

35-Year-Old Tight EndTE
Kansas City Chiefs
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Kelce has been the gold standard at tight end for the better part of the last decade, but he looked like he'd lost a step for much of 2023 and finished 16 receiving yards short of an eighth consecutive 1,000-yard campaign. His postseason performance was vintage, however, as the 34-year-old had 355 yards and three touchdowns in four playoff games to help the Chiefs win another Super Bowl. Kelce missed the 2023 season opener with a knee injury and was rested for the regular-season finale, but he played 15 straight games in between, marking the 10th consecutive campaign in which he’s played at least that many. Even if Kelce’s best days are behind him, he should still be the most trusted pass catcher for QB Patrick Mahomes, after leading the Chiefs in targets (121), catches (93) and receiving yards (984) last season (each mark was top four among NFL tight ends). Free-agent signing Marquise Brown and rookie Xavier Worthy both are undersized speed merchants who don't figure to draw many targets in the parts of the field where Kelce thrives, while second-year pro Rashee Rice has a legal situation threatening his 2024 availability. Kelce remains the safe bet to pile up short and intermediate targets in Kansas City, with potential to rebound in the TD department (five last year) even if he doesn't get back to his peak volume (143.4 targets per season 2018-22). Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#29.09
ADP
$Signed a two-year, $34.25 million contract with the Chiefs in April of 2024.
Stays hot with 14 catches Monday
TEKansas City Chiefs
November 4, 2024
Kelce hauled in 14 of 16 targets for 100 yards with one lost fumble in Monday's overtime win over the Buccaneers.
ANALYSIS
Kelce reached triple digits in receiving yards for the first time this season, and the Chiefs needed every yard after narrowly defeating the Buccaneers. The star tight end has generated a whopping 24 receptions and 190 yards with a touchdown over his previous two contests. The presence of trade acquisition DeAndre Hopkins has clearly benefited Kelce by giving Kansas City another threat to worry about. The latter could be in store for a big second half based on recent developments as the Chiefs prepare to host the Broncos on Sunday.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Travis Kelce's 2024 advanced stats compare to other tight ends?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Air Yards Per Game
46.4
 
Air Yards Per Snap
0.87
 
% Team Air Yards
27.1%
 
% Team Targets
23.3%
 
Avg Depth of Target
6.6 Yds
 
Catch Rate
79.2%
 
Drop Rate
4.2%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
3.8
 
% Targeted On Route
22.3%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
1.56
 
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Kansas City ChiefsChiefs 2024 TE Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

37282%
16877%
26959%
14065%
8819%
4219%
399%
3918%
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How often does Travis Kelce run a route when on the field for a pass play?
This data will let you see how Travis Kelce and the other tight ends for the Chiefs are being used. Some tight ends may have a lot of snaps, but they're not that useful for fantasy purposes because they're not actually running routes. This data will help you see when this is the case.
Travis Kelce
215 routes   64 targets
← More Blocking
% Routes Run
More Receiving →
58%
18 routes   3 targets
46%
98 routes   19 targets
36%
18 routes   1 target
20%
Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Travis Kelce lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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This Week's Opposing Pass Defense
How does the Buccaneers pass defense compare to other NFL teams this season?
The bars represents the team's percentile rank (based on QB Rating Against). The longer the bar, the better their pass defense is. The team and position group ratings only include players that are currently on the roster and not on injured reserve. The list of players in the table only includes defenders with at least 3 attempts against them.
TB
vs Buccaneers
Monday, Nov 4th at 8:15PM
Overall QB Rating Against
88.7
 
Cornerbacks
97.4
 
Safeties
75.2
 
Linebackers
90.6
 
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2024 Travis Kelce Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Travis Kelce's measurables compare to other tight ends?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
* The 40-Yard Dash, Shuttle Time, Cone Drill, Vertical Jump, and Broad Jump metrics are from his Pro Day. All others are from the NFL Combine.
Height
6' 5"
 
Weight
250 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash*
4.61 sec
 
Shuttle Time*
4.42 sec
 
Cone Drill*
7.09 sec
 
Vertical Jump*
35.0 in
 
Broad Jump*
124 in
 
Hand Length
9.63 in
 
Arm Length
33.75 in
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Travis Kelce See More
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4 days ago
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NFL Game Previews: Buccaneers-Chiefs Matchup
4 days ago
Erik Siegrist previews the Monday night matchup as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs take on the Buccaneers.
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5 days ago
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5 days ago
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Target Breakdown: WR & TE Usage Report + Week 9 Fantasy Waivers Preview
6 days ago
WR Cedric Tillman has 180 yards on 21 targets the past two weeks, rapidly emerging as Jameis Winston's main downfield threat in a new-look Cleveland offense.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
Kelce’s name has become synonymous with consistent excellence. He reached 1,336 yards and double-digit touchdowns in three of the past five seasons, with receiving lines of 97-1,229-5 and 92-1,125-9 the other two years. Kelce’s the top target for the league’s best passer, Patrick Mahomes, and the 6-foot-5 tight end has shown no signs of slowing down at age 33, suiting up for at least 15 regular-season games every season besides his 2013 rookie campaign. Last year he had career highs for targets (152) and touchdowns (12), led the NFL in red-zone targets (32) and had 424 more yards (1,338) than any other tight end. While Father Time is bound to catch up to Kelce eventually, he hasn’t given us much reason to think it will happen this year. The gap between Kelce and the rest of the pack at tight end is even larger in full-PPR formats, as his 507 catches over the past five seasons are second most among all players behind only Davante Adams' 532, while another tight end doesn’t appear on that list until Zach Ertz with 361.
Kelce has been the epitome of consistency, topping 1,000 receiving yards each of the last six seasons. He’s also found the end zone at least nine times in three of the four years since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback in Kansas City while averaging 1,277 receiving yards in those four seasons. Every passing year brings increased fears Kelce will experience some age-related decline — he turns 33 in October — but those fears have been unfounded to this point. Kelce could see more attention than ever from Mahomes this season. The Chiefs traded No. 1 wide receiver Tyreek Hill to Miami this offseason, leaving Kelce as the likely top weapon over wide receiver free-agent acquisitions JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and second-round draft pick Skyy Moore. The only tight end to reach 1,400 receiving yards in a season (1,416 in 2020) in NFL history could challenge his own record if things break right, but Kelce’s advanced age and extra wear and tear from Kansas City’s numerous forays deep into the postseason pose some concerns that aren’t shared by the other couple tight ends who operate in his stratosphere.
Kelce seemed to reach his ceiling in 2018 when he caught 103 passes for 1,336 yards and 10 touchdowns for one of the great offenses in NFL history. It turns out he had another level to reach, with 2020 yielding career highs in catches and touchdowns, plus a TE-record 1,416 receiving yards. Already among the elite at his position during the Alex Smith era, Kelce now owns a three-year streak with at least 1,200 receiving yards, making him the first tight end to clear that hurdle more than twice. His age and the physical demands of his position might hint at some risk, but there is no sign of decline, nor has there been a significant injury concern since his 2013 rookie season. In any case, Kelce should remain productive for fantasy managers even when his real-life skills start to decline, assuming he's still in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. Kelce's ability to beat one-on-one coverage and make big plays is unquestioned, but he also benefits from easy receptions on screens and shovel passes, not to mention those broken plays where Mahomes summons a 25-yard gain out of thin air. George Kittle and Darren Waller provide stout competition for the 2021 tight end fantasy crown, but Kelce is the three-time defending champ for good reason.
Kelce offers an unmatched combination of floor and ceiling at tight end, missing just one game in the last six seasons while totaling at least 862 yards and four or more touchdowns each year. That includes four in a row with more than 1,000 yards and back-to-back seasons with more than 1,200. He peaked in 2018 along with the rest of Kansas City's offense, riding the Patrick Mahomes wave to career highs in every significant counting stat. Apart from the touchdowns, Kelce came pretty close to a repeat last year, and he did it while handling a snap share higher than 90 percent for a fourth time in the last five seasons. He capped off the campaign with 19 receptions for 207 yards and four touchdowns in three playoff games, displaying the usual first-rate chemistry with Mahomes. A late start to his pro career means Kelce will turn 31 during the early portion (October) of what's essentially his seventh season, but any signs of decline have been entirely absent. Locked in as an every-down player in the NFL's most dangerous offense, Kelce will be the first tight end off the board in most fantasy drafts, with only George Kittle challenging the throne.
It might seem like Rob Gronkowski's retirement promoted Kelce to the top of the tight end class, but Kansas City's version of No. 87 was already there. Kelce rode shotgun on Patrick Mahomes' MVP season, bumping most of his counting stats and efficiency ones too. He's now ranked first, second and first in TE fantasy points the last three years. Mahomes was able to prioritize Kelce around the goal line in a way that Alex Smith never would. Kelce had just 16 targets inside the 10-yard line entering last year, then collected 12 - third in the league and most among tight ends - for 2018 alone. Perhaps Kelce will be a little easier to mark with Tyreek Hill likely out of the picture, but if defenses had any clue how to stop the 29-year-old tight end we probably would have seen it by now. No one has cracked this matrix. Injuries are a tricky thing to predict for anyone, especially those at tight end, the ultimate collision position. That said, credit Kelce for playing in 79 of 80 games the last five years. He had a clean-up ankle surgery in early March, missing the offseason program before gaining clearance for the start of training camp. Selecting a vanity tight end isn't for everyone - some fantasy owners don't want to play catch-up at the other positions. But with the first tight end tier a tiny and exclusive group, it's possible margin analysis could push you to an early Kelce pick. It seems easier to get lucky at the other positions than it is to strike gold at tight end.
The genesis of the stats was a shade less dynamic - lower catch rate, lower YPC - but Kelce still pushed over that magic 1,000-yard plateau and posted his best touchdown season. In other words, he finally learned how to click with Alex Smith, Mr. Conservative. Alas, Mr. Smith is now gone to Washington, and Kelce needs to learn how to play with Patrick Mahomes, a high-pedigree, low-experience second-year quarterback. We suspect Kelce can succeed in any environment, but it also makes you curious to see how the Chiefs click this preseason. Will they continue to push the ball downfield as they did last season, contrary to previous seasons? Or will coach Andy Reid revert to protect-the-ball, dink-and-dunk? Kelce also has to share a little more, as the Chiefs have another mouth to feed in the offense - freshly acquired Sammy Watkins. And still, there have been only 43 tight-end seasons of 1,000 yards in NFL history and Kelce has two of them. Maybe the quarterback simply doesn't matter. At 6-5, 260, Kelce is no match for defensive backs, and he's a playmaker in the open field with speed and elusiveness. Kelce's 2013 season was wiped out by a knee injury, but he's only missed one start since. If you don't like the running backs and wide receivers you're faced with in the early rounds, a pivot to Kelce is always a reasonable alternative.
For the most part, 2016 goes down as a glorious breakthrough year for Kelce, a 6-5, 260-pound athletic freak who is often compared to Rob Gronkowski. He led all tight ends in yards last year and was just one catch from the TE reception crown (Dennis Pitta finished first; use that as your bar bet, then drink for free all night). With Jamaal Charles out of the mix and Jeremy Maclin also injured much of the year, the Chiefs were forced to move outside of their comfort zone and Kelce was a major beneficiary. Alas, it still felt like some production was left on the table. Kelce only hauled in eight of his 18 red-zone targets, and four touchdowns is a light return for someone who catches 85 balls. Part of the blame goes to Alex Smith, who isn't used to making any kind of throw unless it's wide open. But at the end of the day, we're still going to approach Kelce with optimism. The arrow is pointing up after he topped 100 yards in five of seven games to close out 2016, pushing him to a No. 1 finish among tight ends in any reasonable format. And with Jeremy Maclin gone, there's potential for growth beyond last season's 117 targets. Smith isn't going to keep him from fantasy greatness, nor is Andy Reid. Heading into his age-28 season, Kelce is one of the few tight ends worth an early selection.
Kelce had a solid year last season, but not the breakout many expected, especially after his 106-yard, two-touchdown Week 1 performance. He scored just three touchdowns the rest of the way and had only two games with more than 75 yards, neither close to another triple-digit day. The culprit was a dink-and-dunk offense that attempted just 37 passes of more than 20 yards, second fewest in the league. Kelce saw only five of those and was limited to 17 targets in the 11-20-yard range, T-17th among tight ends. While he had a career-high 103 targets, 78.6 percent came on attempts of no more than 10 yards. As a result, his YPC (12.2) and YPT (8.5) slipped from his 2014 numbers, and he finished ninth at the position with 10 catches of 20-plus yards, five fewer than the previous season. The story at the goal line wasn't much better, where, for the second year in a row, he was barely used – a mere three targets and one touchdown inside the 10-yard line. At 6-5, 260, he should be more of a goal-line threat, and he has the necessary hands, speed (4.61 40) and elusiveness to be a playmaker in the open field. Perhaps he will get more downfield opportunities with new offensive coordinators this season, but Andy Reid is still calling the plays.
After losing his rookie season to a knee injury, Kelce entered last year in a timeshare with Anthony Fasano. It didn't take long for him to become the team's best receiver and one of the league's best playmakers at tight end. Despite only starting 11 games and playing limited snaps early in the year, Kelce led the Chiefs in receiving, finishing sixth among tight ends in catches and yards. In a run-first offense that didn't do much downfield passing, Kelce took advantage of defenses that stacked the box to stop Jamaal Charles, totaling a position-leading 512 yards after the catch. His 7.6 YAC average also led tight ends as his speed (4.61 40) and elusiveness in the open field helped him gain a whopping 59.3 percent of his yards after the catch. He had 9.9 yards per target (1st) and had 15 receptions of 20-plus yards (3rd). At 6-5, 260, Kelce was too much to handle even with double-teams and safety help that appeared later in the year. Kelce, who only scored five touchdowns, has room for growth, too, as the Chiefs didn't use him much at the goal line (three targets, two scores inside the 10). Fasano was not re-signed, leaving behind 36 targets, including five in the red zone. And with new WR Jeremy Maclin stretching the field, secondaries can't focus solely on stopping Kelce, who could see 100 targets this season.
A third-round draft pick last season, Kelce lost his rookie season to a knee injury. He could play a significant role in the passing game this year, though, if he returns healthy. At 6-5, 260, he is bigger than incumbent starter Anthony Fasano (6-4, 255) and has more speed and can stretch the field. With the Chiefs lacking reliable receivers and favoring a short-to-intermediate passing game, Kelce is in a good situation to produce. Fasano and backup Sean McGrath combined for 73 targets last year, so there is opportunity to be had in the passing game.
Kelce may be the most talented TE from the 2013 draft class but will have to fight Tony Moeaki and Anthony Fasano for playing time as a rookie.
More Fantasy News
Biggest fantasy game in 2024
TEKansas City Chiefs
October 27, 2024
Kelce corralled 10 of 12 targets for 90 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-20 win over the Raiders.
ANALYSIS
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Little room to operate in win
TEKansas City Chiefs
October 20, 2024
Kelce finished with four receptions (five targets) for 17 yards in Sunday's 28-18 win over the 49ers.
ANALYSIS
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Season-best effort in win
TEKansas City Chiefs
October 7, 2024
Kelce secured nine of 10 targets for 70 yards in the Chiefs' 26-13 win over the Saints on Monday night.
ANALYSIS
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Performance improves
TEKansas City Chiefs
September 29, 2024
Kelce recorded seven receptions on nine targets for 89 yards in Sunday's 17-10 win over the Chargers.
ANALYSIS
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Still searching for breakout game
TEKansas City Chiefs
September 22, 2024
Kelce caught four of five targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 22-17 win over the Falcons.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Not concerned with early role
TEKansas City Chiefs
September 25, 2024
Kelce said in the latest episode of his "New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce" podcast that he's not concerned about the slow start to his season. "I'm not getting caught up in getting the targets and all that," Kelce said. "I just want to have a successful offense. I think Pat's doing a great job of finding the open guy and making the right decisions right now."
ANALYSIS
Kelce has recorded just eight receptions for 69 yards over his first three games, although he did have a 41-yard pass called back due to penalty. The catch and yardage totals are Kelce's fewest in a three-game span within a single season of his career, and he's averaging a modest 0.8 yards per route run. However, Kelce noted he's already earned plenty of individual statistical accolades and is much more concerned with the team piling up wins in its quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl title.
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