Travis Kelce lands at No. 79 on NFL Top 100 list for 11th straight season

The Chiefs tight end is again voted among the league’s best by his fellow players, arriving at No. 79 in the annual countdown.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce earned another spot on the NFL’s annual Top 100 Players list on Monday, landing at No. 79 for the 11th consecutive year. The ranking is based on votes from current players, giving the honor a peer-recognition element that differs from media-led lists.

Kelce’s placement came after a 2025 season in which he recorded 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns, production that kept him at the center of Kansas City’s passing attack. The Chiefs’ announcement also framed the achievement as confirmation that, despite the churn that defines most NFL careers, Kelce’s role remains both highly visible and highly valued by the league’s defenders and offensive evaluators.

In the Chiefs’ recap of the ranking, the team highlighted how Kelce’s recent statistical output connects to the larger body of work that has defined his career. He owns an NFL record for consecutive seasons with 80 or more catches, spanning 2016 through 2024. He also has an active streak of 12 straight seasons with at least 800 receiving yards, tied with Jerry Rice for the longest such run in league history, a detail that places his sustained production in rare company.

Beyond regular-season volume, Kansas City’s post emphasized Kelce’s postseason resume. He holds the NFL record for consecutive seasons with postseason catches, and he has 178 postseason receptions, the most by any player regardless of position. His 2,078 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns in the postseason both rank second in NFL history behind only Jerry Rice, underscoring why teams plan for him differently when the postseason pressure rises.

The Chiefs weren’t the only Kansas City representative in this year’s countdown. Center Creed Humphrey also appeared on the list, landing at No. 94. With both of their interior players recognized, Kansas City’s Top 100 presence reflects a roster profile that blends offensive skill with line play at the points of emphasis where games are often controlled.

What to watch next is how Kelce’s value translates as the league moves through summer and into the preseason phase that eventually informs early-season passing roles. This Top 100 spot is not a prediction for any single weekend, but it is a concrete indicator that his on-field responsibilities are still substantial enough to earn consistent recognition from the players who face him. In a league built on matchups, a tight end who can sustain production and create postseason separation remains a difficult problem to solve, and that is the through-line the ranking continues to validate.

Why It Matters

Peer voting reinforces that Kelce is still viewed as an elite weekly matchup, not merely a past-honor label.
The streaks highlighted by Kansas City connect Kelce’s current role to historical durability metrics that are uncommon at his position.
A second Chiefs player (Creed Humphrey) also ranking in the Top 100 points to an offense supported by recognized line play.
In the postseason context, Kelce’s postseason reception and yardage records help explain why teams often prioritize limiting him in crunch time.

Sources

Key Facts

Travis Kelce was ranked No. 79 on the NFL’s Top 100 Players list for 11 consecutive seasons.
The annual Top 100 ranking is voted on by players themselves.
In the prior season, Kelce recorded 76 receptions for 851 yards and five touchdowns.
The Chiefs cited Kelce’s NFL record for consecutive seasons with 80+ receptions (2016-24).
The Chiefs cited Kelce’s active streak of 12 straight seasons with 800+ receiving yards, tied with Jerry Rice for the longest such streak.
The Chiefs cited Kelce’s postseason marks, including 178 postseason receptions and 2,078 postseason receiving yards, both near the top of NFL history by position.