​ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler continues to unveil the results of his ongoing survey of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, which helps shape the league’s top-10 position rankings. Among the positions discussed, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has long been a fixture in this annual exercise. Yet this year, Kelce nearly slipped off the list entirely, a surprising development given his sustained impact at the tight end spot.
Ranked 10th this time around, Kelce’s placement marks a notable departure from his usual presence near the top. His peak ranking in previous years reached as high as fifth, but this year he entered with an unranked possibility and finished at the bottom end of the top-10. At 36 years old, Kelce has notched another season of productive play, continuing to demonstrate the kind of seasoned route-running savvy and contact-chipping reliability that has long defined his game. His play echoes the strategies employed by some of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, such as Jason Witten and Tony Gonzalez, who extended their careers by maximizing route intelligence and process-oriented precision to secure first downs and keep drives alive.
Even as Kelce isn’t the speedster of his younger days, his production remains significant. In the most recent season, Kelce racked up 429 receiving yards after the catch, a figure that placed him third among the current crop of tight end candidates in that category. He appeared to be in better physical condition than the prior year, a boost that translated to improved on-field results; however, he also endured nine drops, a blemish for a player of his caliber. An NFC personnel evaluator characterized Kelce as “the ageless wonder at the position,” praising his elite route savvy, body control, and instincts, which enable him to compete at a high level even as age advances.
In the previous season, Kelce was highly productive, finishing fourth in receiving yards among tight ends with 851 and tying for sixth in receptions with 76 while shouldering a heavy workload for the Chiefs’ passing game. NFL Next Gen Stats show that he ran the second-most routes among tight ends, underscoring his continued relevance and workload in Kansas City’s aerial attack. Despite his enduring efficacy, Kelce now faces a cohort of younger, potentially ascendant players who present stiff competition at the position. Notably, Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders and Trey McBride of the Arizona Cardinals led the ranking, each earning recognition for their promising performances. Also ranking ahead of Kelce was 32-year-old George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers, who resides in the upper echelon of the list at No. 3.
Kelce’s fall from the fifth position he held in the previous offseason to No. 10—ending up just outside the top tier—reflects the challenge of aging while competing with a wave of emerging tight ends. It’s easy to defend valuing younger playmakers who may have longer career horizons ahead, but many observers find this placement to be overly harsh toward Kelce, who remains the lone veteran on the list with a legitimate shot at future Hall of Fame induction. The irony is not lost: Kelce’s enduring prominence and Hall of Fame credentials seem at odds with a ranking that suggests a significant drop for a player who is still among the NFL’s most dangerous and productive tight ends.
Despite the age-related caveats, Kelce retains excellence in getting open and moving the chains. The prior season’s untimely drops were a concern, yet the surrounding offense’s competence could help reclaim Kelce’s standing and reframe this ranking once the 2026 season unfolds. If the Chiefs’ offense continues to function with the level of efficiency they’ve demonstrated historically, Kelce’s value may prove even more evident than the poll suggests. In short, while the current ranking might feel stingingly low for a player of Kelce’s caliber, it is not universally representative of his ongoing impact. His combination of route craft, dependable hands, and playmaking ability remains a critical asset for Kansas City, and Kelce’s legacy in the league—both now and in the longer arc toward Canton—deserves continued recognition, regardless of a single year’s ranking fluctuation.