socrates
Footballguy
I would rank Kelce below Eric Ebron and Austin Seferian-Jenkins (and potentially Colt Lyerla), but he compares favorably with that next tier of this rookie class of Tight Ends. Tight End value is difficult to gauge. There are a number of intriguing young prospects at the position, so I would advise taking an inventory of them in your league to get a sense of how your leaguemates value them, then, depending on the scarcity or abundance of available talent at the position, I would deal accordingly. For every Jordan Cameron and Julius Thomas, there seem to be a number of guys who just don’t pan out, for one reason or another. In fact, I even signed and released both Cameron and Thomas a season before they broke out. Sometimes you need a combination of luck, patience and an available roster spot to burn to land the next emerging TE.
As for Kelce as a long-term prospect, there is much to like. He is a full-effort player. However, that can be a double-edged sword, as that can also expose him to injuries. Kelce plays angry and never shies away from contact. His athleticism and effort make him a very intriguing prospect. A word of caution, however: Kelce is returning from microfracture surgery, and history does not bode well for a speedy return, and trying to emerge as a first year player at the TE position is already a difficult task.
