For years on end, there was no questioning who the NFL's best tight end was. The answer always came back to Travis Kelce, who helped his case due to seven 1,000-yard receiving seasons in a row.
Last season, however, that streak was snapped and the Kansas City Chiefs superstar looked vulnerable for perhaps the first time in his career. After coming alive in the playoffs, though, where does Kelce stand in comparison to every other tight end in football?
ESPN's recent survey of league executives, coaches and scouts says Kelce is still on the throne. Jeremy Fowler broke down why Kelce is the top-ranked tight end entering 2024, taking into account feedback from voters and insight from outlet analyst Matt Bowen.
"Kelce is the back-to-back tight end king, narrowly outdistancing Kittle with a flurry of late first-place votes," Fowler wrote. "His ability to separate, on the field and in voting, draws questions at age 34. He missed out on an All-Pro first- or second-team and a 1,000-yard season for the first time since 2015. His 10.6 yards per catch marked a career low. But his 51 receiving first downs and 65.6 yards per game ranked first among tight ends. And under the bright playoff lights, Kelce delivered with 32 catches for 355 yards and three touchdowns in four games.
"'He's still a matchup problem in the passing game, still has tremendous rapport with [Patrick] Mahomes, big with great hands, instinctive, effective after the catch,' an NFC executive said. "The Chiefs' entire passing game struggled last season, allowing defenses to sag on Kelce in coverage. 'He's the focal point. You can put more resources toward stopping him,' the executive said. 'For years, he would kill one-on-ones every time. He maybe doesn't do that as much but [is] still a problem there.'"
Here's who rounded out the top five:
- 2: George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers)
- 3: Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens)
- 4: Sam LaPorta (Detroit Lions)
- 5: T.J. Hockenson (Minnesota Vikings)
Even as he approaches age 35, Travis Kelce's ranking remains justified
Kittle certainly made a push, turning in an excellent season and staying healthier than Kelce for the first time in recent memory. Despite that, voters appear to have considered Kelce's injuries (bone bruise and ankle sprain) as one-off incidents from last season instead of signs of decline. It's entirely possible that with his 35th birthday drawing near, Kelce loses another step and is available less than desired.
Earlier this offseason, Kelce elaborated on the battle of wanting to be on the field but needing to exercise some load management in-season.
"I mean, it's my job to make sure that Coach Reid has full confidence in me [that] whenever he needs me out on that field or whenever I'm out on that field, I get my job done," Kelce said. "That's my job as a player. Coach Reid, he'll tell you, he's got 51% [vote]. So as much as I want to be out there every single play, I understand it's for the betterment of the team when I'm not.
"I've had to kind of understand that over the past couple of years, and I'm more comfortable with that right now because of the guys we have in the room [and] their ability. Like Noah (Gray), (Jared) Wiley's doing a great job right now. Obviously, we brought in Irv (Smith Jr.). We've got a lot of great tight ends in the building. It's fun seeing them have success as well. Their skill sets are top tier, so we have a lot of success and we have a lot of trust in the guys in the building for sure."
Kelce has earned the benefit of the doubt here. If he comes out of the gates looking slower and less effective in September, then maybe it's time to consider removing him from his spot. He didn't forget how to play football, however, as last season may be chalked up to the aforementioned ailments and a poor wide receiver room. Now healthy and with better teammates around him, Kelce's productivity in the passing game figures to bounce back.
He may be on thin ice, but Kelce is still regarded as the best in the business.
