Player Upside
Travis Kelce finished last season as the top scoring fantasy tight end after a career-year. He played in all 16 games and ended up with 85 receptions for 1,125 yards and 4 touchdowns. He led all tight ends in yards, mostly due to his ability to make big plays, leading his position with 13 plays of 20+ yards.
He had an insane stretch to end the season, recording five 100-yard performances in a six-game stretch. He’s also one of the highest targeted tight ends, finishing second at his position in receptions (85 catches to Dennis Pitta's 86). There’s no reason Kelce shouldn’t continue to be a dominant force in this offense, especially with the departure of Jeremy Maclin at receiver.
Player Downside
While Kelce had a strong stretch of games, his performances outside of that period wasn't as glamorous. He had seven games under 45 receiving yards and his four scores were a career-low. He also plays in an offense that typically doesn’t put up big numbers in the passing game. That’s part of the reason for Kelce's low production.
2017 Bottom Line
Overall, Kelce should be viewed as one of the best tight end options this season. He should be due for another big season as he’s one of the main focal points of the Kansas City offense with Maclin no longer in the picture. Expect plenty of targets every week headed towards Kelce’s direction.
Considering the tight end position is pretty shallow, Kelce should be gone within the first three rounds of most drafts.
