Look, I get it. Travis Kelce is entering his age-37 season that increasingly looks like it'll be his last. His future in the Pro Football Hall of Fame was etched long ago, and everything after has been extra. But PFF's recent tight end rankings heading into the 2026 season simply don't do the Chiefs legend justice. Kelce came in ninth, a spot that is rooted in disrespect, not understanding what Kelce can still provide to the team even at this late stage of his career.
It isn't as if the tight end isn't remaining incredibly productive even in his later seasons. Perhaps numbers not as large as his peak seasons, but still among the best at the position. While the explosive ability might be lacking in comparison to when Kelce could easily shake off a couple of defenders and glide upfield, there isn't a reasonable debate that this is a low ranking.
Rewind to Kansas City's bland offense a season ago, and Kelce still managed to be the team's leading receiver with 851 receiving yards. Putting Kyle Pitts, who has only one career season over 1,000 yards, makes little sense when you consider Atlanta's situation and the lack of consistency Pitts has shown throughout his handful of years in the league.
Dalton Kincaid is another name that Chiefs fans can't help but focus on, as the Buffalo tight end has yet to have a season matching anything close to the type of years Kelce is capable of. Even a season ago, Kelce finished well ahead of Kincaid in yards. Being that it could very well be Kelce's final campaign, he has every reason to empty the tank on what he can offer in the upcoming season.
Kelce drops in latest TE ranking, which seems to care more about projection than reality
Choosing to stick Kelce so far down in many ways fits an offseason that has been full of disrespect when it comes to Kansas City. Whether it is putting Patrick Mahomes behind Josh Allen or disregarding the team as Super Bowl contenders, there has been a theme that fans cannot overlook as the season continues to draw closer.
It provides no shortage of material for the Chiefs to draw motivation from as they look to the season ahead. For Kelce, this is simply a blip on the radar with far bigger concerns drawing the attention of the KC legend.
Near the top of the list is doing everything reasonably within his power to fuel a return to Super Bowl relevance. This is the expectation for a tight end who deserved more respect simply for what he has proven in the year's biggest moments. There simply isn't one name on the list that has proven as much when the chips are pushed to the center of the table.
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