Travis Kelce – 2021 #1 Dynasty TE
#87 Travis Kelce, KC
bio:
Travis Kelce is IDPE’s #1 dynasty TE in 2021. Drafted by Kansas City in the 3rd Round (#63 overall) out of Cincinnati in the 2013 draft. He is a three-time First-time All-Pro, two-time Second-team All-Pro, and a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team.
attributes:
An athletic, versatile 5th-year tight end, he excels as both a blocker and receiver. He plays physically and can play all over the formation. He has good size and athleticism. Kelce has a good College Prospect Score (CPS), though several inputs into my model were not available.
| Age* | Height | Weight | 40 | Vertical | Broad | CPS |
| 32.0 | 6’5″ | 255 | 4.61 | 35.0″ | 10’4″ | 5.1 |
player grades:
Kelce was graded as the #1 tight end out of 71 qualified players in 2020, per PFF.com. He has been playing at an elite level for years.
| Year | Overall | Receiving | Rushing |
| 2016 | 89.0 | 88.1 | 57.6 |
| 2017 | 82.5 | 86.3 | 58.3 |
| 2018 | 88.0 | 90.3 | – |
| 2019 | 85.1 | 88.5 | 62.5 |
| 2020 | 93.5 | 93.3 | – |
injury:
He missed a total of 8 games in 2020 due to a foot fracture and MCL sprain and 4 games in 2019 due to an ankle fracture and knee sprain.
receiving:
Kelce had 145 targets (#6 receiver), 105 receptions (#5 receiver), 1416 yards (#2 receiver), and 11 touchdowns (tied for #5 receiver) in 2020.
| Year | Rec | Yards | TD | TReFP* | Games | ReFP/G** |
| 2018 | 103 | 1336 | 10 | 245 | 16 | 15.3 |
| 2019 | 97 | 1229 | 5 | 201 | 16 | 12.6 |
| 2020 | 105 | 1416 | 11 | 260 | 16 | 16.3 |
**ReFP/G is Receiving Fantasy Points per Game
Note: Fantasy Points based on 1/2 point PPR
He averaged 102 receptions and 1327 over the last three years. Therefore, he has an elite floor for a tight end in fantasy. He has also averaged 9 touchdowns over the same stretch, giving him an elite ceiling in fantasy.
strength of schedule:
KC has the 7th most difficult schedule for tight ends in 2021, per PFF. The bye week is Week 12, and the most difficult matchups are Weeks 4, 9, 13, and 16. Denver and Philadelphia tight ends currently look like solid complimentary options based on strength of schedule.
contract:
Kelce signed a four-year, $75 mil contract extension with KC in 2020. KC has a potential out in 2022, and he only has a dead cap hit of ~$4 mil starting in 2023, making him cuttable at any point. If he plays out his entire contract, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 (Age 37).
summary:
Travis Kelce is an elite tight end both in real life and in fantasy. His age is the only concern; it’s possible he could start slowing down at any time, but he should have a couple more Top 5 finishes in him. Expect him to compete for the overall #1 TE in 2021 and finish as Top 5 in dynasty leagues. If your team is not a competitor, this might be the last chance for you to get full value out of him in a trade.
