Travis Kelce Named PFF's 'Bounce-Back' Candidate for Chiefs

After a trying 2023 campaign, one outlet expects Kelce to cross the 1,000-yard mark in year No. 12.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The last NFL season may have resulted in another Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl win, but it was still a very trying campaign for the eventual champs. The offensive side of the football, specifically, struggled but came together just in time to save the year.

There was no greater example of that than tight end Travis Kelce. The future Hall of Fame man was a perfect microcosm of the entire Kansas City season.

Getting injured before Week 1's contest even started, Kelce was behind the proverbial eight-ball for weeks on end. He then dealt with numerous other bumps and bruises throughout the regular season, looking slower and less impactful in games. Down the stretch, then-rookie wideout Rashee Rice surpassed Kelce as the top statistical producer on the Chiefs' offense.

Then the playoffs happened.

In four postseason games, Kelce turned back the clock by hauling in 32 passes on 37 targets for 355 yards and three touchdowns. He looked just like his younger self during that stretch, even after turning 34 in the fall. While his 1,000-yard receiving streak was snapped in the regular season, one outlet believes Kelce can get back to his 2022 and prior self moving forward.

In a recent article for Pro Football Focus, Bradley Locker picked one bounce-back candidate for all 32 NFL clubs. Kelce was Kansas City's recipient, as Locker thinks the veteran pass catcher should benefit from more help surrounding him.

"Kelce’s regular-season numbers from a season ago look mediocre for his standards, but he turned it up a notch in the playoffs," Locker wrote. "The star amassed 32 catches for 355 yards and three touchdowns in the Chiefs’ four playoff games, catalyzing the team’s second straight Super Bowl run.

"Just knowing Kelce’s pedigree, there’s almost no chance he finishes below 1,000 yards for a second consecutive season, even if he’s over 34. Plus, with major questions about the Chiefs’ receiver room — potentially without Rashee Rice to start the year and ushering in a rookie in Xavier Worthy — Patrick Mahomes could default to relying on his security net that much more."

A season ago, Kansas City relied on Kelce too much, almost out of necessity. Rice wasn't ready to assume a bigger role on offense early on, which left options like Justin Watson and Marquez Valdes-Scantling to lead the receiver room. Once Rice saw his workload increase, another high-quality receiving target remained absent. Kelce, a de facto wideout but a tight end by trade, was left to pick up the pieces with a broken-down body.

Now, Kelce has RIce and more. Free agent pickup Marquise "Hollywood" Brown and 2024 first-round NFL Draft pick Xavier Worthy both offer field-stretching speed and intriguing route-running chops. The Chiefs have already been more dynamic in OTAs, which could be a precursor to the 2024-25 season.

If that's the case, expect to see Kelce be more effective on a per-snap basis. He may not ever return to his true prime, but it'd be surprising to see him take another step back right now. He showed in the playoffs that he's capable of producing at an elite level, which is good news for the Chiefs. Health is one reason to buy into a rebound effort, and an improved arsenal of weapons is another.

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