We're pretty sure Travis Kelce is a bit preoccupied with more important concerns following the biggest wedding of the year—congratulations, by the way!—after exchanging vows with Taylor Swift over the Fourth of July holiday. But just in case the Kansas City Chiefs tight end is looking through his mentions for more good news, the NFL's Top 100 just gave him some.
The NFL releases its list of top 100 players every summer before a new season begins, and Kelce's an annual fixture at this point after 13 years of unparalleled production at tight end. For the 2026 season, his 14th in the league, Kelce is coming in at No. 79 overall.
Kelce had 76 catches for 851 yards and 5 touchdowns a year ago while playing within an efficient yet predictable offense that lacked any real explosive threat. That Kelce could still rank among the top producers at tight end despite the obvious offensive ceiling on the entire unit—one decimated by injuries down the stretch— is a testament to his talent and work ethic.
If there is any downside here, it's that Kelce hasn't ranked this low in the NFL's Top 100 in a long time, but Father Time comes for everyone, and the man himself admits that he's not as athletic as he used to be. Last year, he was at No. 37 overall but even that was a steep fall from his regular spot in the top 10.
Over the years, Kelce has ranked as high as No. 5 overall—an incredible feat for a tight end—on multiple occasions. Overall, this is his 11th consecutive year being ranked somewhere in the NFL's Top 100.
A full history of Travis Kelce's NFL Top 100 Rankings
Year | NFL Top 100 Ranking |
|---|---|
2016 | No. 91 |
2017 | No. 26 |
2018 | |
2019 | |
2020 | No. 5 |
2021 | No. 18 |
2022 | No. 5 |
2023 | No. 5 |
2024 | No. 9 |
2025 | |
2026 | No. 79 |
There's reason to believe Kelce could actually improve on last year's numbers if some of the offensive tinkering does its job. The Chiefs are emphasizing the ground game more with Eric Bieniemy back as offensive coordinator and reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III installed as the lead back. With Rashee Rice motivated in a contract year and Xavier Worthy further healed from an injury-laden 2025 season, Kelce might find more room to move than he has in the last couple of years.
It's impossible to say for sure if Kelce will hang up his cleats after this season, but maybe that has a lot to do with how the Chiefs' season plays out. But he's still one of the league's best players who is actively adding to a resume that's already worth of Canton. Congrats to Kelce for another year in the NFL's Top 100.
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