Travis Kelce's Official Discussion Thread

[Servo]

This TE game is tough; especially since we could be witnessing the greatest TE in history with Gronk. Is that crazy to say? You definitely can't take these other TEs' seasons for granted but I understand it can be difficult since Gronk is so far on the other side of the bell curve when comparing others to him.

[DynoScout]

Are you buying or selling now that KC has locked him up on a t-year, $46 million extension through 2021? On the one hand, they should use him heavily given how much they are paying him. On the other, KC hasn't targeted him heavily in the offense thus far despite being the no. 2 receiver, and does Kelce have less motivation now given his guaranteed money and injury history?

I think we've seen both his floor and his ceiling. Which isn't bad TE production by any stretch, but anyone hoping for Gronk 2.0 while Andy Reid is the coach is probably dreaming. He's cheap and on my roster, but if I didn't own him I'd rather stream the position than pay up.

Plus, this reality show thing makes me nervous. Nobody comes out the other side of a reality show better for it.

Donald Trump (lol)

[Martpe]

I had the opportunity this mid-season to have Kelce + what became 4.03 for Rodgers (TE) + what became 2.09. I am happy with that but also willing to sell for almost everyone in ADP top50 also an offer of 1.01-02 will be easy to accept. As I have pick 1.05 and is thin on TE not sure what to do if offered a 1.03-04 or 1.06. Below I am not selling.

[_yeti]

One thing I am surprised not to see discussed more here is QB play. The NFL is a QB driven league no matter how we choose to score our fantasy leagues, and real life statistical production is always a direct byproduct of that. What I mean by that is that staying in KC is a hit on Kelce's potential production as much or more with Alex Smith at the helm as OC or play calling. You could insert almost any coaching staff you want, and any TE in an Alex Smith offense is not going to produce the amount of yards and TDs that they could in an offense with a more talented or even just more risk-taking QB with more volume.

Alex Smith is a competent game manager, nothing more. He excels with a good run game and good defense behind him, so his conservative play style and lack of mistakes can prevent his team from losing. I am a huge fan of Kelce and was considered buying high on him just on the chance of him moving into a more dynamic offense. His stats would increase on almost any team in the NFL, and him staying in KC is a huge bummer.

With that being said his talent is real, and I don't see his motivation to produce decreasing. If anything, I think a guy with his dynamic ball skills and after the catch ability will want a bigger share of the offense and more accolades to go with his skill set.

My opinion: he has shown you his floor and it is a nice floor. Staying in KC limits his ceiling and he won't put up Gronk numbers there, but I see him holding down TE2-TE5 for the foreseeable future. Give me him over Reed's injury history and Olsen's age any day.

[holy_stromboli]

I guess no one in here is worried about his microfracture surgery early in his career and how it could potentially catch up to him...

[ericanadian]

One thing I am surprised not to see discussed more here is QB play. The NFL is a QB driven league no matter how we choose to score our fantasy leagues, and real life statistical production is always a direct byproduct of that. What I mean by that is that staying in KC is a hit on Kelce's potential production as much or more with Alex Smith at the helm as OC or play calling. You could insert almost any coaching staff you want, and any TE in an Alex Smith offense is not going to produce the amount of yards and TDs that they could in an offense with a more talented or even just more risk-taking QB with more volume.

Alex Smith is a competent game manager, nothing more. He excels with a good run game and good defense behind him, so his conservative play style and lack of mistakes can prevent his team from losing. I am a huge fan of Kelce and was considered buying high on him just on the chance of him moving into a more dynamic offense. His stats would increase on almost any team in the NFL, and him staying in KC is a huge bummer.

With that being said his talent is real, and I don't see his motivation to produce decreasing. If anything, I think a guy with his dynamic ball skills and after the catch ability will want a bigger share of the offense and more accolades to go with his skill set.

My opinion: he has shown you his floor and it is a nice floor. Staying in KC limits his ceiling and he won't put up Gronk numbers there, but I see him holding down TE2-TE5 for the foreseeable future. Give me him over Reed's injury history and Olsen's age any day.

Vernon Davis had his best years with Smith as the primary QB.

[clarion contrarion]

I know the kid is an amazing athlete but back to back years as TE8 points wise and having alex smith as his qb going forward is going to limit how much I would pay. I would view him as a last piece kind of add not a must acquire ,seeing as he was outscored by 3 thirty something cast off types just this season.

[Pac_Eddy]

I know the kid is an amazing athlete but back to back years as TE8 points wise and having alex smith as his qb going forward is going to limit how much I would pay. I would view him as a last piece kind of add not a must acquire ,seeing as he was outscored by 3 thirty something cast off types just this season.

I really like Kelce but this sums up my stance on him too. The limiting factors of Alex Smith/Andy Reid really hold down his upside. If he were in New England, New Orleans or someplace like that, he'd have a monster upside.

[_yeti]

One thing I am surprised not to see discussed more here is QB play. The NFL is a QB driven league no matter how we choose to score our fantasy leagues, and real life statistical production is always a direct byproduct of that. What I mean by that is that staying in KC is a hit on Kelce's potential production as much or more with Alex Smith at the helm as OC or play calling. You could insert almost any coaching staff you want, and any TE in an Alex Smith offense is not going to produce the amount of yards and TDs that they could in an offense with a more talented or even just more risk-taking QB with more volume.

Alex Smith is a competent game manager, nothing more. He excels with a good run game and good defense behind him, so his conservative play style and lack of mistakes can prevent his team from losing. I am a huge fan of Kelce and was considered buying high on him just on the chance of him moving into a more dynamic offense. His stats would increase on almost any team in the NFL, and him staying in KC is a huge bummer.

With that being said his talent is real, and I don't see his motivation to produce decreasing. If anything, I think a guy with his dynamic ball skills and after the catch ability will want a bigger share of the offense and more accolades to go with his skill set.

My opinion: he has shown you his floor and it is a nice floor. Staying in KC limits his ceiling and he won't put up Gronk numbers there, but I see him holding down TE2-TE5 for the foreseeable future. Give me him over Reed's injury history and Olsen's age any day.

Vernon Davis had his best years with Smith as the primary QB.

And Travis Kelce will now have his best years with Smith as his primary QB.

That does not mean that they wouldn't have better statistical production with a QB who aired it out more often, looked down the field more, was more dynamic, wasn't afraid to take risks, and relied less on the run game. A competent QB limited to the mid game will never be bad for a tight end they just limit their ceiling. Kelce would produce much more with Brady, Manning, Cam, Palmer, Luck, Big Ben, Rivers, Romo, Flacco, Stafford, Eli, even the young up and comers Carr, Bridgewater, Bortles, Mariota, and Winston. You know it's true

[WhatWouldDitkaDo]

Vernon Davis had his best years with Smith as the primary QB.

And Travis Kelce will now have his best years with Smith as his primary QB.

That does not mean that they wouldn't have better statistical production with a QB who aired it out more often, looked down the field more, was more dynamic, wasn't afraid to take risks, and relied less on the run game. A competent QB limited to the mid game will never be bad for a tight end they just limit their ceiling. Kelce would produce much more with Brady, Manning, Cam, Palmer, Luck, Big Ben, Rivers, Romo, Flacco, Stafford, Eli, even the young up and comers Carr, Bridgewater, Bortles, Mariota, and Winston. You know it's true

Aaron Murray?

[_yeti]

Vernon Davis had his best years with Smith as the primary QB.

And Travis Kelce will now have his best years with Smith as his primary QB.

That does not mean that they wouldn't have better statistical production with a QB who aired it out more often, looked down the field more, was more dynamic, wasn't afraid to take risks, and relied less on the run game. A competent QB limited to the mid game will never be bad for a tight end they just limit their ceiling. Kelce would produce much more with Brady, Manning, Cam, Palmer, Luck, Big Ben, Rivers, Romo, Flacco, Stafford, Eli, even the young up and comers Carr, Bridgewater, Bortles, Mariota, and Winston. You know it's true

Aaron Murray?

Assuming Aaron Rodgers? Yea, that guy as well. I may have forgot him, sometimes you forget ppl when rattling off by memory, you get my point though.. Screw the pack anyway And seeing Graham in Seattle, who knows if Wilson would hypothetically upgrade Kelce or not .. Maybe I am dense, but the Murray reference is a fly by for me

[WhatWouldDitkaDo]

Aaron Murray?

Assuming Aaron Rodgers? Yea, that guy as well. I may have forgot him, sometimes you forget ppl when rattling off by memory, you get my point though.. Screw the pack anyway And seeing Graham in Seattle, who knows if Wilson would hypothetically upgrade Kelce or not .. Maybe I am dense, but the Murray reference is a fly by for me

Aaron Murray is Alex Smith's backup in KC. He did some pretty nice things at Georgia. Smith's guaranteed money drops steeply after 2016. It's a long shot, but not out of the realm of possibility. Murray could also get a chance if Smith misses any time due to injury next season.

[_yeti]

Aaron Murray is Alex Smith's backup in KC. He did some pretty nice things at Georgia. Smith's guaranteed money drops steeply after 2016. It's a long shot, but not out of the realm of possibility. Murray could also get a chance if Smith misses any time due to injury next season.

You're ahead of the game on me. Catch enough flack for NFL fanaticism, can't add college to the mix.

That said, not very familiar with majority of the leagues unheralded backups. But I wouldn't upgrade Kelce hoping on a 5th round backup with a draft profile with gems like "Short and short-armed with a low release point that leads to batted balls .. Marginal deep-ball accuracy ... Loses poise under duress ... Possesses a skill set most ideally suited for a backup or No. 3 role" to help save the day.

The Tyrod Taylor's of the world are the exception not the rule and everyone is still debating after a good full season whether he will stick longterm. Crazier things have happened though... Uninitiated to the fella as I am, I would say that the best to hope for if Murray did get slotted in, would be to hope for production as well as Smith has put up. Cant sell short what Alex Smith has done, he is an above-average starting QB in the NFL. He is also more of a winner than some better fantasy producers. One of the absolute hardest jobs in sports... just sucks that Kelce is stuck with him haha

[WhatWouldDitkaDo]

Aaron Murray is Alex Smith's backup in KC. He did some pretty nice things at Georgia. Smith's guaranteed money drops steeply after 2016. It's a long shot, but not out of the realm of possibility. Murray could also get a chance if Smith misses any time due to injury next season.

You're ahead of the game on me. Catch enough flack for NFL fanaticism, can't add college to the mix.

That said, not very familiar with majority of the leagues unheralded backups. But I wouldn't upgrade Kelce hoping on a 5th round backup with a draft profile with gems like "Short and short-armed with a low release point that leads to batted balls .. Marginal deep-ball accuracy ... Loses poise under duress ... Possesses a skill set most ideally suited for a backup or No. 3 role" to help save the day.

The Tyrod Taylor's of the world are the exception not the rule and everyone is still debating after a good full season whether he will stick longterm. Crazier things have happened though... Uninitiated to the fella as I am, I would say that the best to hope for if Murray did get slotted in, would be to hope for production as well as Smith has put up. Cant sell short what Alex Smith has done, he is an above-average starting QB in the NFL. He is also more of a winner than some better fantasy producers. One of the absolute hardest jobs in sports... just sucks that Kelce is stuck with him haha

Certainly a long shot, but just food for thought. Clearly they already have decent chemistry, and Murray wouldn't be afraid to throw to Kelce down the middle of the field: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY14YWZal9s

[Shoreline Steamers]

I guess no one in here is worried about his microfracture surgery early in his career and how it could potentially catch up to him...

I'm more concerned with the QB throwing him the ball and the offensive system he plays in. The microfracture surgery you're referring to was more to the side of his knee in a non-weight bearing area. At the time of the surgery it was opined that it should not have any effect on his longevity. That's no guarantee, but I haven't seen any lingering effects based on his play or history on the injury report. He also had no prior history of knee injury or surgery, so no, the microfracture isn't a real concern to me.