If you participate in any kind of playoff fantasy league, it makes sense to prioritize having Travis Kelce on your roster. Year after year, he's been the biggest difference-maker at his position; perhaps any position. A lot better to be starting him than facing him.
Kelce caught 14 passes in Kansas City's win over Jacksonville yesterday, a record for a tight end in a playoff game. The previous record was 13, which Kelce himself shared after a big game a couple of years ago. Kelce, in fact, is the most represented tight end in the ranks of top playoff game performers at the position in the history of the league.
In the Super Bowl era, there have been 42 instances of a tight end catching at least 8 passes in a playoff game. Kelce accounts for nearly 20 percent of those games, with 8 of the 42. He has 5 of 17 10-reception playoff games from the position.
Search tools at pro-football-reference.com were used in compiling this table.
| TIGHT END RECEPTIONS IN A PLAYOFF GAME, 1967-PRESENT | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Opp | Year | Rec | Yds | TD |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | Jac. | 2022 | 14 | 98 | 2 |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | Buf. | 2020 | 13 | 118 | 2 |
| Shannon Sharpe, Den. | at LAR | 1993 | 13 | 156 | 1 |
| Kellen Winslow, S.D. | at Mia. | 1981 | 13 | 166 | 1 |
| Jay Novacek, Dal. | G.B. | 1984 | 11 | 104 | 0 |
| Dan Ross, Cin. | S.F. | 1981 | 11 | 104 | 2 |
| Brent Celek, Phi. | at Ari. | 2008 | 10 | 83 | 2 |
| Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | Den. | 2011 | 10 | 145 | 3 |
| Todd Heap, Bal. | at K.C. | 2010 | 10 | 108 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson, Min. | NYG | 2022 | 10 | 129 | 0 |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | Hou. | 2019 | 10 | 134 | 3 |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | T.B. | 2020 | 10 | 133 | 0 |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | Cin. | 2021 | 10 | 95 | 1 |
| Vance McDonald, Pit. | Jac. | 2017 | 10 | 112 | 0 |
| Jermaine Wiggins, N.E. | Oak. | 2001 | 10 | 68 | 0 |
| Jason Witten, Dal. | at Min. | 2009 | 10 | 98 | 0 |
| Frank Wycheck, Ten. | Pit. | 2002 | 10 | 123 | 1 |
| Dallas Clark, Ind. | K.C. | 2006 | 9 | 103 | 0 |
| Owen Daniels, Hou. | Cin. | 2012 | 9 | 91 | 0 |
| Owen Daniels, Hou. | at N.E. | 2012 | 9 | 81 | 0 |
| Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | Phi. | 2017 | 9 | 116 | 2 |
| Aaron Hernandez, N.E. | Bal. | 2012 | 9 | 83 | 0 |
| Steve Jordan, Min. | at S.F. | 1989 | 9 | 149 | 0 |
| Jordan Reed, Was. | G.B. | 2015 | 9 | 120 | 1 |
| Zach Ertz, Phi. | Min. | 2017 | 8 | 93 | 0 |
| Russ Francis, N.E. | Hou. | 1978 | 8 | 101 | 1 |
| Antonio Gates, S.D. | Ind. | 2008 | 8 | 87 | 0 |
| Antonio Gates, S.D. | NYJ | 2009 | 8 | 93 | 0 |
| Tony Gonzalez, Atl. | S.F. | 2012 | 8 | 78 | 1 |
| Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | at Den. | 2015 | 8 | 144 | 1 |
| Aaron Hernandez, N.E. | NYG | 2011 | 8 | 67 | 1 |
| Keith Jackson, Mia. | at S.D. | 1994 | 8 | 109 | 2 |
| Eric Johnson, S.F. | NYG | 2002 | 8 | 78 | 0 |
| Brent Jones, S.F. | G.B. | 1995 | 8 | 112 | 0 |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | at Hou. | 2015 | 8 | 128 | 0 |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | Cle. | 2020 | 8 | 109 | 1 |
| Travis Kelce, K.C. | Buf. | 2021 | 8 | 96 | 1 |
| Dustin Keller, NYJ | at Pit. | 2010 | 8 | 64 | 0 |
| Heath Miller, Pit. | Jac. | 2007 | 8 | 85 | 1 |
| Zach Miller, Sea. | at Atl. | 2012 | 8 | 142 | 1 |
| Greg Olsen, Car. | at N.O. | 2017 | 8 | 107 | 1 |
| Julius Thomas, Den. | N.E. | 2013 | 8 | 85 | 0 |
Kelce has at least one more playoff game this postseason to add another performance to the list, and I wouldn't bet against it.
--Andy Richardson