The Chiefs have several players in the running, but these are the best bets for the NFL's all-star exhibition.
The Kansas City Chiefs are used to having at least a half dozen players or more in the Pro Bowl from year to year ever since Andy Reid climbed on board back in 2013 and helped establish K.C. as the league's most consistently successful team in that span. There's no denying that the Chiefs are in their golden era as a franchise, and the future is as bright as ever even with the recent run of success already in the rearview mirror.
That said, things have been a bit off this season for the Chiefs as they went younger on both sides of the ball and got rid of some bad contracts this offseason. The Chiefs decided to scale back and clear the slate for this coming offseason, which made this a bit of a transitional season. It shows in the results—even in Pro Bowl voting.
Some of the numbers are out for the NFL's version of an all-star exhibition as fans vote for their favorite players and the Chiefs have fewer "sure things" than they have in quite some time. In fact, it's interesting to note that Patrick Mahomes isn't even a favorite to start at quarterback in the AFC—looking at you, Tua Tagovailoa.
So who is in? Well, nothing is certain so far, but there are some obvious best bets to be found if past trends and current voting can help us make informed predictions.
Creed Humphrey
The Chiefs third-year center has been an absolute sensation since he first arrived in the league—well, as much as any center can live up to such a statement.
The Chiefs took Humphrey with their second of two second-round selections in the 2021 NFL Draft (along with linebacker Nick Bolton), and he's been a fixture in the heart of the offense ever since. Humphrey is the latest in an impressive string of centers for K.C. since Andy Reid has taken over—a list that includes Rodney Hudson and Mitch Morse, but Humphrey is the best of the lot.
During his rookie campaign, Humphrey finished third in offensive rookie of the year voting—a difficult task for any lineman—and he followed that up with a Pro Bowl appearance in 2022. This year, he's been recognized as the best in the conference, with only Jason Kelce's veteran presence in Philly likely being Humphrey being named as the best center in the NFL.
At present, Humphrey is leading all centers in votes from the AFC and it feels like that's a safe bet to stick unless the Baltimore Ravens can rally significant fan support behind second-year center Tyler Linderbaum.
Travis Kelce
There have been stronger years for Travis Kelce, but there still aren't stronger candidates than Kelce when it comes to ranking the league's top tight ends. Each year brings a new list of impressive young players, but Kelce's consistency remains one of the league's greatest accomplishments in this modern era—a man somehow able to produce at an elite level for so many years in a row.
For Kelce, he is on pace to eclipse the 1,000-yards receiving mark for the eighth consecutive season in the Chiefs' final three games. For perspective, Kelce already set the record for most consecutive years with that total or more back in 2019.
Kelce already missed a game in Week1 when a hyperextended knee in practice caused a bone bruise to keep him out of the Chiefs' opener. Since then, Kelce has also battled other minor injuries and taken on the brunt of every defensive coordinator's primary focus, but he's still managed to put up 85 receptions for 924 yards, and 5 touchdowns.
At this point, the best that the AFC can offer Kelce in terms of competition is Evan Engram, who has certainly turned into a very solid complementary player for the Jaguars but is nothing close to an elite playmaker around whom defensive coordinators have to plan. Kelce is likely set for this year and the next if he so chooses to return, but that's a question for another time.
Chris Jones
Whether or not it's his last season with the Chiefs remains to be seen, but if so, it was another banner season for one of the best (and most charismatic) defensive tackles (and players) of his generation. Jones is a one-man wrecking crew in the heart of the Chiefs line, a defensive MVP who has helped K.C. appear in three of the last four Super Bowls.
This season is a shocking one for Jones in that he went from sitting in the stands at Arrowhead for Week 1 during a contract dispute to dominating on the field in Week 2 as if he'd not missed the entire preseason for the Chiefs holding out in frustration.
On the year, the Chiefs have rotated all sorts of league-average personnel next to Jones as run-stoppers like Matt Dickerson or Mike Pennel but Jones is the tentpole that holds up the big top of this circus up front. So far this season, he's got 29 pressures and 7.5 sacks in 13 starts with three games to play—and that's against constant double teams up front.
So far, Jones is first among vote-getting defensive tackles in the AFC and his track record should give the Chiefs another sure bet.