Tag: Travis Kelce

Tunnel Vision of Week 15

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Jameis Winston 458 – 4 4
 Lamar Jackson 212 – 86 5
 Ryan Tannehill 279 – 10 3
 Patrick Mahomes 340 – 11 2
 Mitchell Trubisky 348 – 29 1
Running Backs Yards TD
Kenyan Drake 146 4
Christian McCaffrey 175 2
Miles Sanders 172 2
Ezekiel Elliott 160 2
Saquon Barkley  153 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Breshad Perriman 116 3
Julio Jones 134 2
Jamison Crowder 90 2
DeVante Parker 72 2
Terry McLaurin 130 1
Tight Ends Yards TD
Ricky-Seals Jones 29 2
Travis Kelce 142 0
George Kittle 134 0
Darren Waller 122 0
Zach Ertz 61 1
Placekickers XP FG
Dan Bailey 3 4
Robbie Gould 1 3
Nick Folk 4 2
Dustin Hopkins 3 2
Harrison Butker 0 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Vikings 2 – 7 1
Patriots 0 – 5 1
Eagles 1 – 1 1
Buccaneers 2 – 3 1
Packers 3 – 3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

Pretty light but last week removed some important players from this Sunday already.

WR Chris Godwin – Hamstring
WR Scott Miller – Hamstring
RB J.D. McKissic – Neck
RB Dalvin Cook – Shoulder
WR Brandin Cooks – Back

Chasing Ambulances

WR Chris Godwin – The Buccaneers already missed Mike Evans and then Chris Godwin went down untouched and had to be carted to the locker room. While the prognosis isn’t available as of this writing, all such signs usually mean missing a week or more And only next week matters.  Breshad Perriman (5-113, 3 TD) was the one to step up with Evans gone.

Scotty Miller also scored in his first game back from injury but then pulled his hamstring. Justin Watson turned in a touchdown in Week 14 replacing Evans for part of the game but was limited to only two catches for 17 yards. If Godwin is still out, Perriman becomes the No. 1 but he won’t surprise anyone after his three scores in Week 15.

Watson would have to play more as the only receiver with any experience left on the roster. The Bucs host the Texans and their weak secondary this week. And Jameis Winston is on a mission to post yardage and scores.

RB Dalvin Cook – He went down yet again with a shoulder injury. He was in obvious pain and seemingly more than the times before. He has to be in doubt for the homestand against the Packers and their weak rushing defense this week. Alexander Mattison would have been the backup, but he was inactive with an ankle injury.

That only leaves Ameer Abdullah (5-25) and Mike Boone (13-56, 2 TD) behind. The Vikes need a run game and whichever back starts will be fantasy relevant against the soft Packers run defense.  If  Cook or Mattison do not return, then expect the same sort of committee with Abdullah and Boone. Cook was injury-prone for his first two seasons and seemed to finally get over his durability issues. Until you absolutely, positively needed him for one specific game. Oh, Dalvin…

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

RB Christian McCaffrey – He not just the guy with the magic year in most of the league playoffs, and he’s not just the No. 1 fantasy running back but a significant margin. He is also the only Panthers player that ever produced over 2,000 total yards in one season. He’s rushed for 1,307 yards on 265 carries and added 814 yards on 94 receptions. That’s 2,121 yards. He still has two more games.

RB Chris Carson – Already had a strong season but the Seahawks just lost Rashaad Penny last week. That left Carson to run 24 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the win over the Panthers. Penny was getting up to 15 carries but C.J. Prosise (5-15) and Travis Homer (2-7) didn’t get in the way as much.

RB Joe Mixon – He rushed for 136 yards on 25 carries and even caught three passes for 30 yards versus the No. 1 defense versus running backs. The Bengals only passed for 151 yards and lost the game badly. But at least Mixon’s late-season push continues. He’ll be interesting in 2020 so long as the offense around him gets an upgrade.

QB Jameis Winston – Fractured thumb be damned. Winston passed for 458 yards and four touchdowns against the Lions were nicely timed for fantasy owners in their playoffs. He leads the NFL with 4,573 passing yards and that is a pace for 5,226 yards. That would rank fourth-best in NFL history. He averages 326 yards per game and his final two games are at home against the Texans and Falcons. He only needs 213 yards per game to become the eighth quarterback to throw for more than 5,000 yards.

WR Anthony Miller – He’s produced marginal stats at best this season but he gained over 100 yards in each of his last two road games and scored these last two weeks. His nine catches for 118 yards and a touchdown this week was a season-best.

WR Davante Adams – The Packers only threw for 203 yards and one score on Sunday, but Adams accounted for 103 yards on seven catches and caught the lone touchdown pass.  The Packers have evolved to where there is no fantasy value in any receiver aside from Adams. No matter what happens in the Packers’ passing effort, Adams will produce and no one else will.

TE Travis Kelce – He reeled in 11 catches for 142 yards in the win over the Broncos. He now totals 1,131 yards on the year in the thinnest of fantasy positions. He also just set the record for the only tight end in the history of the NFL to record four straight 1,000 yard seasons.

WR DeVante Parker – He was a flop for his first three seasons. Parker currently totals 59 catches for 954 yards and eight touchdowns and should break 1,000 yards likely this week when they host the Bengals. He just signed a 4-year, $40 million extension. Apparently, he only comes to life when the Dolphins offense becomes completely stripped of all talent. He scored four touchdowns over the last three games.

RB Carlos Hyde – After six years and four different teams, Hyde currently stands at 224 carries for 1,030 yards for the Texans. His first 1,000-yard season. He was only paid $1.8 million this year and is a free agent in 2020. Will the Texans finally draft a talented rookie back or just more of the same by re-signing Hyde?

WR Terry McLaurin – All may not be lost with Dwayne Haskins. The speedy rookie McLaurin just scored for the second week in a row and gained a career-best 130 yards on five catches versus the Eagles.

WR Odell Beckham – He’s nursed a sports hernia all season according to recent reports. And he’s been a disappointment to fantasy owners. He did just catch a season-best eight passes for 66 yards at the Cardinals, in a game where Jarvis Landry was held to only five receptions for 23 yards. He fielded a season-high 13 targets versus eight for Landry.

TE Tyler Higbee – He led the Rams with 12 catches for 111 yards in the loss to the Cowboys. He is in his fourth season and had never gained more than 295 yards in any year. Higbee just turned in his third 100-yard game in a row. He’s suddenly reached the Top-10 for tight ends this season. Gerald Everett is out and had been the lead receiver.  Higbee replaced Everett at an opportune time, but he’s been the No. 1 tight end for the last three weeks.

WR Julio Jones – The Falcons star didn’t have to share with Calvin Ridley but was facing the 49ers defense in San Francisco. He ended with 13 catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns including the game-winner.  He also became the only wideout with 20 targets in one game this year. Tyler Lockett was the leader with 18 in Week 9.

Huddle player of the week

Kenyan Drake  –   Someone is going to be a soon-to-be rich free agent in 2020. Drake just ran for 137 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries and added nine yards on one catch in the win over the Browns. He’s everything that you thought David Johnson would be. Timing is everything in the world of expiring rookie contracts.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick 312 2 QB Jimmy Garoppolo 206 1
RB Miles Sanders 172 2 RB Melvin Gordon 64 0
RB Tony Pollard 143 1 RB Dalvin Cook 43 0
WR Breshad Perriman 116 3 WR Emmanuel Sanders 9 0
WR Jamison Crowder 90 2 WR Julian Edelman 9 0
WR Anthony Miller 118 2 WR Robert Woods 17 0
TE Ricky Seals-Jones 29 2 TE Hunter Henry 29 0
PK Dan Bailey 3  XP  4  FG PK Greg Zuerlein   1 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 129 Huddle Fantasy Points = 28

Now get back to work…

Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Chiefs Wire for Week 14

A KC perspective on the Week 14 battle vs. NE

A rematch of last January’s AFC Championship is on tap for 4:25 p.m. today as the New England Patriots host the Kansas City Chiefs. New England has won the last two meetings against Kansas City, but the Chiefs know how to play tough in Foxboro. Before falling 43-40 in a Week 6 battle at Gillette Stadium last season, Kansas City spoiled the hearts of Patriots fans in a compelling 42-27 Week 1 victory in 2017.

To get more of an inside scoop on the Patriots’ rival, we spoke with Charles Goldman of Chiefs Wire about Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City’s defense, and more.

Given that Patrick Mahomes missed a few games earlier this season and backup quarterback Matt Moore took over, how do Chiefs fans feel about this Kansas City team sitting at 8-4?

I think the general consensus is that everyone is happy to be at 8-4 at this point. The Chiefs had one of the toughest schedules in the NFL this season, so to be approaching the last quarter of the season and in complete control of the AFC West is about as great of a position as you could ask for. There’s also a lot of fans out there that believe they haven’t seen this Chiefs team play their best game of the season yet. Last week against the Raiders was close, but the offense didn’t quite play up to what fans know they’re capable of.

We know about Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill. What are the other offensive pieces that Patriots fans should know about?

The pair of offensive rookies, Mecole Hardman and Darwin Thompson, are the two players I’d keep an eye on during this game. Hardman has been a consistent offensive weapon throughout the season. He really rivals Tyreek Hill in terms of speed, but he’s not quite as refined as a route runner yet. I expect Andy Reid to find ways to get him involved during this game. As for Thompson, he really just emerged this past week against the Raiders. He had 11 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown late in the game. With Darrel Williams going to IR and Damien Williams unlikely to play, he should be in line for touches behind LeSean McCoy.

Last year, the Chiefs gave up a combined 80 points in their two matchups against New England. With how much the Patriots have been struggling offensively, how does this current Chiefs defense line up against New England’s offense?

I think this defense is playing some of its best football right now. They’re getting pressure and turnovers, plus the coverage on the back end is much better than Tom Brady and the Patriots saw last season. The one area where I think the Patriots offense can get an advantage is by using their running backs in the passing game. Linebacker is very clearly the weakest position in Kansas City and they don’t do a good job covering running backs in man coverage. If the Pats can force those matchups they can certainly get their offense going against the Chiefs.

In order for the Chiefs to go to the Super Bowl this year, it’s looking like they will have to win on the road in January. How confident are you that they could pull it off?

Arrowhead Stadium used to have one of the best advantages home field in the NFL, but I think that has since wavered a bit. The Chiefs have done a good job this season proving that they can win anywhere if they play their best football. They have wins on the east coast, west coast and even Mexico City. They’ve even had some really good fan turnout for several away games. If Kansas City can get a win against the Patriots in Week 14, they’ll have regular-season wins against both teams that likely secure the No. 1 and No. 2 seed in the AFC (Ravens and Pats). That’d certainly add to their confidence when it comes to going on the road.

Since I told you I predict for the Chiefs to win Sunday, what are your thoughts on this week’s matchup at Gillette Stadium?

I think there are a lot of people out there overlooking the Patriots because of their recent offensive struggles. At the same time, I think there’s an equal amount of people underrating the Chiefs because of history. Before last season, the last time the Patriots lost back-to-back games in December was 2002. The crazy streak of success in Foxboro is hard to contend with.

I feel these teams are evenly matched and I’m expecting a lower-scoring game than usual because of it. The Chiefs will find some success in frustrating Tom Brady and the Patriots offense, but Brady will get the best of the Chiefs’ defense at times. I think it comes down to a field goal in the end with a 20-17 type of victory favoring Kansas City

Bill Belichick says Travis Kelce is ‘one of the best receivers in the league’

“You can put him up against any receiver in the league and statistically he’ll match up.”

In preparation for the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has spent time watching a player he called “one of the best receivers in the league.”

It’s not Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs’ star wideout. It’s Travis Kelce.

While Kelce is technically listed as a tight end, Belichick doesn’t see that designation as entirely accurate.

“Call Kelce whatever you want. He’s one of the best receivers in the league. He’s their leading receiver,” Belichick said during a press conference on Wednesday. “You can put him up against any receiver in the league and statistically he’ll match up against anyone you want to put him against over the last five years. So you can call him whatever you want to call him.”

The Chiefs typically run three-receiver sets, with a rotation of Hill, Sammy Watkins, Mecole Hardman, Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle. But Belichick argued that Kansas City is really just running four-receiver sets, considering Kelce’s versatility to operate as a wideout. That shows in Kelce’s route-tree, the array of routes he can run on any given play.

“It’s probably bigger than anybody in the league,” Belichick said. “He’s got every tight end route. He’s got every receiver route. There’s not a route he doesn’t run. He does everything but run routes out of the backfield. Probably does some of that, but maybe they’re saving that.”

Through 12 games in 2019, Kelce has 68 receptions, 923 yards and four touchdowns. He is on pace to have one of his best seasons of his career, though he may not eclipse his impressive career-highs from 2018 when he had 103 catches, 1,336 yards and 10 touchdowns.

“He’s good at everything,” Belichick said. “He’s big. He’s fast. He’s good after the catch. He does a really good job of gaining leverage on defenders. He also sets up a lot of other — creates space for players as well. He’s smart — very smart. Good at all of it. Hard guy to tackle when he gets the ball.”

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3 Chiefs among leaders in 2020 Pro Bowl voting

Three Kansas City Chiefs are among the top Pro Bowl vote-getters for their respective position groups.

The Kansas City Chiefs have three players leading the way in the early 2020 Pro Bowl voting, according to an NFL press release.

This one might surprise Chiefs Kingdom a bit, but star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is second among AFC quarterbacks. He’s trailing Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, who leads all players in the balloting with over 145,000 votes. Mahomes has the second-most votes of any player, with 116,325 votes as of Nov. 20. If Mahomes is selected to the Pro Bowl, it would be his second selection in as many years as he’s been the starting QB in Kansas City.

After Mahomes, the Chiefs have two players leading their respective position groups. Tight end Travis Kelce is ahead at his position with 77,148 votes. If Kelce earns the honor, it would be his fifth consecutive selection to the Pro Bowl dating back to the 2015 season.

Finally, Kansas City could actually have a rookie make the Pro Bowl during his first year. Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman leads all players in the return specialist category (18,606 votes). I think Hardman’s performance has been worthy of going in at the wide receiver position, but if he has to sneak in as a return specialist you won’t find many fans complaining. I can recall another receiver on the Kansas City roster making the Pro Bowl early in his career as a return specialist. He turned out to be a great receiver, so things should end up all right for Hardman.

Fan voting for the 2020 Pro Bowl continues through Dec. 12 at NFL.com/ProBowlVote. During the final two weeks of Pro Bowl voting (Nov. 28 through Dec. 12), you’ll also be able to vote on Twitter using the hashtag “#ProBowlVote” plus players’ official Twitter handles or first names and last names.

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Chiefs’ Travis Kelce becomes fastest TE to 450 receptions and 6,000 receiving yards

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce continues to make his mark on NFL history books.

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce continues to put his stamp on the NFL history books.

Going into Monday night’s game Kelce needed just 23 yards to reach 450 receptions and 6,000 receiving yards faster than any tight end ever. Earlier this season he eclipsed 450 receptions one game faster than Pro Football Hall of Fame TE Kellen Winslow. He currently has 466 career receptions with 56 of those coming in 2019.

Tonight, Kelce has achieved the other half of the equation, reaching 6,000 yards. No other player in NFL history at the tight end position has achieved both those feats together as quickly as Kelce. It took Winslow 94 career games to reach such a feat, but Kelce did it in just 91 games. Check it out:

It took up until the final three minutes of the first half for Kelce to record his first reception, but it only took that one play for Kelce to eclipse the 6,000-yard mark. As I’m writing Kelce currently has one reception for 31 yards against the Chargers.

This isn’t the only NFL record that Kelce has claimed. In 2018, he became the NFL’s single-season leader for most receiving yards by a tight end. Unfortunately, he didn’t hold the record for very long. Hours later, George Kittle passed him to set a new record.

So long as Kelce stays healthy he’ll continue making his mark on NFL history. He’s certainly benefited from his connection with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, which first blossomed during the 2018 season.

Behind Enemy Lines: 5 questions with Chiefs Wire

Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman spoke with Chargers Wire and delivered five things to look for in the Monday night matchup.

The Los Angeles Chargers (4-6) and Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) are about to take the national stage on Monday night.

Prior to the matchup, Chiefs Wire managing editor Charles Goldman spoke with us on Los Angeles’ opponent.

Here’s a look at five things to expect:

1. How do the Chargers slow down the big playmaking ability of Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman?

The Chargers should hope that somehow they don’t make it on the plane to Mexico City. Really, with the Chiefs offense, you have to decide which playmaker you’re going to try and take away. It was a tough choice last season when you had Hill, Sammy Watkins and Travis Kelce to worry about. Now you’ve got Hardman in the mix, and don’t sleep on Demarcus Robinson because he might have some of the best chemistry with Mahomes of any of these receiving threats.

2. Will Patrick Mahomes’ knee be a concern for him, or is he back to full health?

Mahomes was pretty adamant this week that this is the healthiest he’s felt since Week 1 of the regular season. Remember, he also dealt with an ankle sprain earlier in the season before the kneecap dislocation. Both of those injuries shouldn’t be a problem for him moving forward or limit him from doing what he does. He had one of the best games of his career against the Titans in Week 10 despite the loss. I wouldn’t expect to see Andy Reid call a QB sneak with Mahomes anytime soon, though.

3. What area/position of the Chiefs could determine the outcome of this game?

The linebackers and the run defense. It’s been the most easily exploitable part of the Chiefs’ defense this season. They did sort of come alive a bit during the two weeks that Mahomes was out with injury. As recently as Week 10, they looked like the same unit that failed to impress early in the season. Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler are as talented a duo as they’ve faced in 2019. The Chargers could do some damage running the ball and motioning out wide, forcing man-coverage matchups against the Chiefs’ LB corps.

4. Who is an under-the-radar Chief that Chargers fans should know about?

Rookie defensive back Juan Thornhill is one that I’d pay attention to this week. He plays the deep safety role for the Chiefs and he’s been quietly impressive this season. He has really nice range from the centerfield spot. When he’s in a man coverage situation, he hasn’t given up much in terms of yardage per coverage snap. Given how much Philip Rivers likes to throw the deep ball, you might be hearing Thornhill’s name called quite a bit on Monday night.

5. Score predicition?

Ahead of the season, I had this game circled as one that I thought Kansas City could struggle in. I thought that Los Angeles wouldn’t be 4-6 right now. Historically, the big prime-time games haven’t been too kind to the Patrick Mahomes-led Chiefs. I’m feeling like things will be different this time around, though. This is shaping up to be the first time since Week 1 that the Chiefs have all of their starters on offense healthy across the board. If the Chiefs’ defense can manage to contain Ekeler and Gordon, that’d also boost their chances at a win. It’s easier said than done for Kansas City. They can’t seem to decide the type of team they want to be on defense. Chiefs 34, Chargers 20

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Offensive and defensive players to watch in Chiefs vs. Chargers

We’ll be keeping an eye on these two Kansas City Chiefs players as they face the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night.

The Kansas City Chiefs need a bounce-back win after a disappointing loss to the Tennessee Titans last week.

Beating the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night will go a long way in the Chiefs’ quest for a fourth-straight AFC West division title. It would keep them undefeated within the division and give them a win over each AFC West team.

K.C. is nearing full health after suffering multiple key injuries throughout the season and has a chance to pull it all together to go on a late-season run. The Chargers, meanwhile, are in desperation mode to keep their postseason chances alive.

Let’s take a look at one player on each side of the ball who can help the Chiefs knock off L.A.

Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Offense: TE Travis Kelce

Kelce is making acase to be a first-team All-Pro for the third time. He leads all tight ends in receiving yards (741) and is tied for first in receptions (56). He needs just 23 more receiving yards this season to reach 450 receptions and 6,000 yards faster than any other tight end in NFL history.

The Chargers have had success against Kelce in the past, holding him to just one reception in two separate games. He will certainly be a focal point for the Chargers’ defense, but the Chiefs’ dynamic receiving corps should open things up for him. K.C. is 5-1 this season when Kelce catches at least six passes.

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4 Chiefs players the Chargers must game-plan for in Week 11

The Chiefs are a talented team, but Chargers Wire’s Gavino Borquez lays out who the Chargers must really hone in on.

The Chargers are looking to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Chiefs are looking to get back on track after losing their last four of six games in Week 11 of the regular season.

With an enticing division battle set for Monday night, here are four Chiefs players that the Bolts have to game-plan for if they wish to come away with a victory.

QB Patrick Mahomes

It didn’t take long for Mahomes to establish himself as one of the best players in the league. After a season that resulted in winning the league’s most valuable player, he continues to take the league by storm. In eight games played, Mahomes has thrown for 2,628 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and only one interception.

The former Texas Tech product missed two games with a knee injury, but he quickly recovered and nearly put up a career-high game against the Titans, passing for 446 yards.

Mahomes can beat you in a multitude of ways, whether it be with his cannon of an arm or with his legs to evade the pocket. The Chargers will need to pressure him early and often, not only with defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, but additional pass rushers off the edge to make him feel uncomfortable and to keep him off the field.

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Who was emergency OL for Chiefs in Week 10 against Titans?

We now know who would have played if the Kansas City Chiefs needed an emergency offensive lineman vs. the Tennessee Titans

The Kansas City Chiefs suffered some attrition along the offensive line late in the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans in Week 10.

Back-to-back injuries occurred at the right tackle position that left the Chiefs dangerously thin along the offensive line. First, starting right tackle Mitchell Schwartz suffered an injury, which ended his long consecutive snap streak. A play later, it was left guard Martinas Rankin who had shifted to right tackle. He was injured on his first snap at the position.

Kansas City only had seven offensive linemen dressed to play on Sunday. Starting left tackle Eric Fisher and starting right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif were both ruled out ahead of the game. With the two injuries to Schwartz and Rankin, the Chiefs would be faced with an emergency situation had they suffered another injury.

So who would have been the emergency backup offensive lineman for the Chiefs had they suffered an injury? Andy Reid let us in on the doomsday plan during his Monday conference call.

“It would be one of the tight ends,” Reid said via 810 Sports Radio’s Soren Petro.

Reid didn’t exactly say which tight end it would be for the Chiefs, so you’ll have to use your imagination on that. Blake Bell would stand to reason, given his usage in blocking scenarios, but he was also banged up with an ankle injury. Travis Kelce is the most veteran tight end on the team and probably the most comfortable with the blocking schemes.

Luckily, the Chiefs didn’t have to try this out. Schwartz was able to return to the game after just a few snaps. I have a feeling this scenario would be much less enjoyable to watch than seeing emergency third-string QB Anthony Sherman run the Chiefs offense, which could have happened in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos.