Chiefs roster evaluation: Travis Kelce makes his Hall of Fame case

What actually happened?

The five-time Pro Bowler did not disappoint. Kelce started all 16 games for Kansas City for the second consecutive season. In fact, his durability may be his most underrated asset given that he’s now started 78 out of 80 regular season games over the last five season, and has appeared in 95 out of 96 games since his rookie season was non-existent due to injury.

In 2019, Kelce became the first tight end in the history of the NFL to gain over 1000 yards receiving in four consecutive seasons. He also played on 92% of all offensive snaps this season, the 3rd most of any player on the team. While some will still debate whether he is the top tight end in the NFL, and we’ll admit that San Fransisco’s George Kittle is very good, Kelce left little doubt that he is the #1 tight end in football.

What’s more, the TE2 position revealed itself as irrelevant in Andy Reid’s offense. Blake Bell played on less than 40% of the team’s snaps, Yelder “chipped in” with less than 5%, and the pair combined for 11 receptions on 19 targets. Neither particularly stood out in run- or pass-blocking, but also neither were so egregiously bad that we paid much attention. Ultimately, the Chiefs opted to use linemen, Kelce and running backs to block over a second (or third) tight end in nearly every instance.

It cannot be understated how important Travis Kelce was to this team and this offense in 2019. He was the most reliable pass catcher on the team, made very few errors, eliminated mental mistakes which had plagued much of his early career, and served as a emotional catalyst for the comeback runs of the playoffs and Super Bowl.