Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce undeniably had the best tight end season in the NFL in 2022.
He had 24 more receptions than the next closest player and over 400 more receiving yards. His 12 touchdowns were the most by a tight end in the NFL on the year. Frankly, his numbers stacked up better against those at the wide receiver position than they do against those playing tight end.
In a poll of NFL decision-makers and players from ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler, there was finally some agreement that Kelce was all alone at the top.
“For three years, many league evaluators clung to believe that George Kittle was a better tight end than Travis Kelce because of his all-around game,” Fowler wrote. “A major shift happened this year, with Kelce receiving a whooping 84% of first-place votes”
For the past several years, Kelce fell squarely at the No. 2 spot after 49ers TE George Kittle, mainly because of some silly narrative around blocking ability. Kelce is not listed as the undisputed best as he should be, but he’s still first in the top-10 rankings. It is perplexing that he received a third-place vote this year, as I’m not sure you could successfully argue that there were two better tight ends in the NFL last season.
At the same time, the anonymous NFL sources quoted in this one seemed to be in awe of Kelce’s game and how it has evolved throughout his career.
“You got to see a different element of his game last year as the focal point of the offense with Tyreek Hill gone, with an appreciation and respect for what he does,” an AFC personnel evaluator told Fowler. “He can take over a game.”
Another veteran NFL scout likened Kelce to NBA star Stephen Curry for his longevity and playstyle.
“He has that Steph Curry thing, like, how long can be he an All-Pro? He ages well because his game is not predicated on speed,” they said.
Everyone seems to wonder when father time will catch up to Kelce, but he’s insistent on playing until the wheels fall off. 2022 marked his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. He’s shown no signs of slowing down in terms of his production and play.
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