Is Travis Kelce done being a fantasy cheat code? After a down year, Chiefs fans — and fantasy managers — want answers.

📉“Was That His Last Elite Season?” — Can Travis Kelce Bounce Back in Fantasy Football for 2025?

Kansas City, MO — For the first time in years, Travis Kelce was not a lock for fantasy dominance in 2024.

He still produced — 984 yards, 6 TDs — but for fantasy managers used to 1,200+ yards and double-digit scores, it felt like watching Superman slow down.
And now, with 2025 drafts looming, the big question is:

Is Kelce still worth a top fantasy TE pick — or is the drop-off real?

⚠️ 2024: The “Down Year” In Context

Let’s not pretend Kelce fell off a cliff — but the signs were hard to ignore:

• Lowest yardage total since 2015

• Fewer red-zone targets, particularly after Week 10

• A noticeable dip in yards after catch (YAC)

• Multiple nagging injuries that limited explosiveness

He finished as TE5 in PPR formats, a far cry from his usual TE1 stranglehold.

👴 Age + Usage = Concern?

Kelce turns 36 in October 2025. He’s logged:

• Over 150 career games

• 10+ playoff runs (more mileage than most WRs)

• And an increasing role as a decoy and blocker as defenses double him

Combine that with emerging targets like Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and rookie TE Jared Wiley, and it’s fair to ask:

Is Travis Kelce still the centerpiece of the offense — or just one of the pieces?

💥 But Don’t Count Him Out Yet

Here’s why a bounce-back is very possible:

✅ Patrick Mahomes still trusts him more than anyone in clutch moments
✅ Kelce is still elite at finding soft zones and mismatches
✅ He led all tight ends in targets per game (7.8) despite the “down” year
✅ Red zone usage may rebound if Chiefs spread the field more with Worthy’s speed

Plus — spoiler alert — if he’s dating Taylor Swift again during the season… you know fantasy numbers go up 😏

🎯 Fantasy Draft Strategy: Where Should You Take Kelce?

In 2023, he was a late 1st / early 2nd round pick.
In 2025, he’s likely falling to Rounds 4–6 — and that’s where the value begins.

“At Round 5, you’re getting a TE who could still lead the league in TDs,” says ESPN analyst Field Yates.
“That’s worth the risk.”

Just don’t build your entire roster around him like in years past.
Instead, draft him as a bonus piece, and pair with a backup TE like Sam LaPorta or Dalton Kincaid.

✅ Final Thought:

Yes, the decline might be coming — but it hasn’t fully hit yet.
And if you get one last elite season from Kelce at a discounted price?

That’s how you win leagues.