Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Confirms return for 13th season
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Kelce confirmed via social media that he will play in 2025.
Kelce had stated after the Super Bowl loss to the Eagles that he hadn't yet decided whether he'd continue his playing career for a 13th pro season, but Chiefs GM Brett Veach said at the NFL Scouting Combine this week that he expected the veteran tight end to return for another year. Kelce has now confirmed it and will formally announce it on his New Heights podcast this week. Kelce will turn 36 years old in October and is certainly slowing down at this stage of his career, but he's ready to give it another run with Kansas City. It will be interesting to see what his role looks like in 2025, especially with Rashee Rice (knee) due back to full health as the Chiefs' power slot receiver and the anticipated leap of Xavier Worthy in his second season following a big stretch run and postseason. Kelce's days as an elite fantasy tight end are likely over.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Leaning toward return
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Kansas City general manager Brett Veach said Tuesday that Kelce is "fired up" about playing in 2025, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. "We left it as, he'd be back and we're excited to get him back and get him going," Veach said at the NFL Combine.
However, head coach Andy Reid suggested Tuesday that things might be more up in the air, per Nate Taylor of The Athletic, saying he advised Kelce to "get out of town and relax" before making a decision about his playing future. The 35-year-old tight end is heading into the final year of his contract, and he carries a $19.8 million cap hit for the 2025 season. Despite declining production in his 12th NFL season, Kelce's 97-823-3 receiving line across 16 regular-season appearances still made him one of the league's most productive tight ends in 2024.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Pondering playing future for '25
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Kelce said Wednesday in the latest episode of the "New Heights" podcast that he hasn't determined whether he'll continue his playing career in 2025. "I'm gonna take some time to figure it out," Kelce said of his playing future. "And I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back that it's gonna be a wholehearted decision and I'm not half-assing it, and I'm fully here for them."
Following the Chiefs' 40-22 loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LIX this past Sunday, Kelce didn't address his future plans in any postgame interviews, but he took to his podcast days later to make his first formal comments on the matter. Though the 35-year-old remained one of the NFL's most productive tight ends in 2024 with his seventh straight season of at least 90 receptions, he averaged a career-low 8.5 yards per catch on his 97 grabs over 16 games. Kelce turned in one of his best performances of the campaign in the wild-card win over Houston (7-117-1 line on eight targets), but he was limited to just six receptions for 58 yards and no touchdowns on 10 targets over the Chiefs' final two postseason games. While he hasn't put a timeline on deciding whether he'll keep playing in 2025, Kelce will presumably inform the Chiefs of his plans before the start of the new league year in March so that the organization can prepare accordingly if he elects to retire. Kelce carries a $19.8 million cap hit for 2025 after agreeing to a two-year, $34.25 million restructured contract extension with Kansas City last April.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Mild output in SBLIX loss
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Kelce corralled four of six targets for 39 yards in Sunday's 40-22 Super Bowl loss to the Eagles.
Kelce failed to stand out in the box score as Philadelphia keyed in its defensive focus on the future Hall of Famer. The 34-year-old appeared to have lost a step in 2024 after posting pedestrian numbers -- by his own gaudy standards -- in 16 regular-season contests (97-823-3). Still under contract through the 2026 season, Kelce will attempt to bounce back after experiencing declines in both yardage and touchdowns scored in consecutive seasons in his 12th year as a pro.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Little involvement in AFCCG win
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Kelce had two receptions on four targets for 19 yards in Sunday's AFC Championship Game victory over the Bills.
Kelce was primarily used as decoy on his routes and finished with just 19 of Patrick Mahomes' 245 passing yards Sunday. The 35-year-old Kelce's gravitational pull on the defense opened the door for auxiliary players such as Xavier Worthy (6-85-1) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (2-60-0) to hit Buffalo with big-chunk plays in the hard-fought victory. Kelce and the Chiefs will face an Eagles defense that surrendered 104 yards to Commanders' TE Zach Ertz in the NFC Championship Game. Fantasy players rolling with Kelce in Super Bowl LIX are hoping that Taylor Swift will be the only one doing any spectating in New Orleans on Feb. 9.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Dominating performance vs. HOU
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Kelce corralled seven of eight targets for 117 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 23-14 win over Houston.
A well-rested Kelce walked into Saturday's divisional-round tilt and casually dropped his best receiving line of the season. The 35-year-old dominated the middle of the field in a matchup that had Kansas City at a disadvantage on the perimeters. Kelce saw his season totals take a dip in 2024, but it is obvious that he remains quarterback Patrick Mahomes' favorite target when the stakes are raised. The Chiefs will now prepare to host next Sunday's AFC Championship Game against either the Bills or the Ravens.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Idle for Week 18
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Kelce (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Broncos.
Kelce didn't miss any practice time this week, but with the Chiefs having already clinched the AFC's No. 1 seed heading to regular-season finale, he'll be rested along with several other key players on both sides of the ball. Noah Gray and Peyton Hendershot will be the Chiefs' available options at tight end in Week 18.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Doubtful for Sunday
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Kelce (coach's decision) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's contest in Denver.
This comes as no surprise, as QB Patrick Mahomes (ankle) also is listed as doubtful, RB Isiah Pacheco (ribs) has been ruled out, and RB Kareem Hunt received the same listing as Kelce. With the Chiefs having locked up the No. 1 seed on the AFC side of the playoffs, they're taking a cautious approach with a number of key players, which predictably includes Kelce. At least for Week 18, Noah Gray, Peyton Hendershot and practice-squad members Robert Tonyan and Anthony Firkser will be the candidates to fill in at tight end for Kansas City. Kelce instead will turn his focus to the team's postseason opener in the divisional round on either Jan. 18 or 19.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Candidate to sit out Week 18
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Kelce is among several Chiefs starters who could be rested for Sunday's game against the Broncos, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Head coach Andy Reid announced Wednesday that Carson Wentz will start at quarterback Sunday while Patrick Mahomes rests, and there's a high probability that other key players join Mahomes in street clothes or play only limited snaps. Kelce would be among the most likely candidates to get the day off given his veteran status, heavy workload throughout the campaign and big role in the team's offense. If the 35-year-old does indeed spend the game on the sideline, Noah Gray and Peyton Hendershot would likely lead the Chiefs' tight-end corps against Denver.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Sets new frachise record Wednesday
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Kelce recorded eight receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets in Wednesday's 29-10 win over the Steelers.
Kelce snapped out of a minor slump with his best fantasy performance since Week 8 against Las Vegas, when he produced a 10-90-1 receiving line. In the process, Kelce surpassed Tony Gonzalez for the franchise record in career receiving touchdowns (67). With the Chiefs clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs following Wednesday's win, the team may opt to rest Kelce and some other key players in Week 18. Kansas City has a week and a half off before its next tilt against Denver, so make sure to check on the statuses of the team's key fantasy options leading up to the contest.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Gets four catches in win
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Kelce secured four of eight targets for 27 yards in the Chiefs' 21-7 win over the Browns on Sunday.
The star tight end had a quiet afternoon by his standards, but it came on an afternoon when Patrick Mahomes averaged just 4.2 yards per attempt overall. Kelce finished third on the team in receptions and receiving yards while also checking in second in targets, and he'll head into a Week 16 home matchup against the Texans on Saturday afternoon with at least Sunday's catch total in four consecutive contests.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Becomes fastest TE to 12,000 yards
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Kelce caught five of six targets for 45 yards in Sunday's 19-17 win over the Chargers.
Kelce became the fastest tight end in NFL history to reach 12,000 career receiving yards, doing so in his 172nd regular-season game. Tony Gonzalez had the previous record at 210 games. Kelce's team-high 45 receiving yards included a nine-yard catch on third-and-7 coming out of the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter, which allowed Kansas City to run the clock down to one second before Matthew Wright kicked a game-winning 31-yard field goal. Heading into a Week 15 road game against the Browns, Kelce has 80 catches for 682 yards and two touchdowns this season.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Garners 13 targets Friday
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Kelce finished with seven receptions (on 13 targets) for 68 yards in Friday's 19-17 win over the Raiders.
Kelce led the Chiefs in targets while recording his second-highest total in that category in the 2024 season. Friday's yardage also marked the star's highest total since Week 9. Backup wide receiver Justin Watson vultured Patrick Mahomes' only passing touchdown in the win, which has been the story for Kelce's fantasy season through 12 games (two touchdowns). The 34-year-old still looks beastly with the ball in his hands, so the potential for a breakout performance still is in the cards for frustrated managers. Kelce posted a healthy 7-89-0 line against the Chargers in Week 4, with the two teams set to face each other again next Sunday at Arrowhead.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Stymied in KC's first loss
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Kelce was held to two receptions (on four targets) for eight yards in Sunday's 30-21 loss to the Bills.
It was a game to forget for both Kelce and the Chiefs as the team suffered its first loss of the 2024 campaign. The star tight end couldn't even salvage fantasy managers' Sundays with a touchdown on either of his short catches. To make matters worse, backup Noah Gray poached two potential scoring chances from the longtime starter in Kansas City. Kelce was coming off of his best three-week stretch of the season prior to Sunday's dud, so look for better results as the Chiefs attempt to bounce back against the Panthers next Sunday.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Top DFS Play
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Kelce has seen 40 targets in the Chiefs' last three games. He's scored more than 20 PPR Fantasy points in all of those games. He's not even the most expensive tight end this week. Easy cash game play.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Remains productive in win
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Kelce secured eight of 12 targets for 64 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs' 16-14 win over the Broncos on Sunday.
Kelce set the pace for the Chiefs in receptions and targets while checking in just a yard short of Kareem Hunt for a tie for the team lead in that category as well. The star tight end also recorded his second touchdown of the season on a two-yard grab late in the first half, and he now boasts a 32-254-2 line on 40 targets in his last three games alone as Kansas City prepares for a Week 11 road showdown against the Bills.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Stays hot with 14 catches Monday
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Kelce hauled in 14 of 16 targets for 100 yards with one lost fumble in Monday's overtime win over the Buccaneers.
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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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Biggest fantasy game in 2024
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Kelce corralled 10 of 12 targets for 90 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-20 win over the Raiders.
Kelce posted a strong receiving line complemented by his first receiving touchdown of the 2024 season. The star tight end finally put it all together for fantasy managers who drafted him early in drafts this year. Perhaps the addition of proven No. 1 wideout DeAndre Hopkins will finally draw defenses away from Kelce. Up next for the Chiefs is a primetime matchup against the Buccaneers next Monday.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Little room to operate in win
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Kelce finished with four receptions (five targets) for 17 yards in Sunday's 28-18 win over the 49ers.
It was clear that the 49ers came into this contest with a game plan to limit Kelce for a shorthanded Chiefs offense. While the opponent's defensive strategy was successful, it did not lead to a win, as Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City's rushing attack (four combined touchdowns) took care of business Sunday. Kelce was coming off of a pair of strong fantasy outings in his previous two contests, so managers will be hoping for a bounce-back performance against the Raiders next Sunday.
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Chiefs' Travis Kelce: Season-best effort in win
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Kelce secured nine of 10 targets for 70 yards in the Chiefs' 26-13 win over the Saints on Monday night.
Kelce led the Chiefs in receptions and targets on the night with figures that also qualified as season highs. The star tight end has reemerged over the last pair of contests after a worrisome first three games, having generated a 14-159-0 line in the former span. Kelce's contributions have been particularly critical considering the depleted nature of the team's receiving corps, which has now lost its top two members in Rashee Rice (IR, knee) and Marquise Brown (IR, shoulder). Kelce should continue to play an elevated role when Kansas City emerges from a Week 6 bye to face the 49ers in a road Super Bowl rematch on Sunday, Oct. 20.
