Travis Kelce Injury Update: When will the Kansas City Chiefs TE play?

2 min read • September 13, 2023

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NFL
Travis Kelce Injury Update: When will the Kansas City Chiefs TE play?

In the absence of star tight end Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs' offense, led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, appeared disoriented when facing the Detroit Lions. 

The team grappled with dropped passes, struggles in gaining separation, and communication breakdowns, marking one of the rare occasions when the Chiefs' offense seemed vulnerable.

According to Pro Football Docs, Kelce's availability for Week 2 remains uncertain, as the Chiefs medical staff will likely be cautious about exacerbating the bone bruise. The recovery period for bone bruises typically spans weeks, and it will have been just around 12 days since the initial injury.

Travis Kelce - SIC score 60

NFL insider Jay Glazer offered a detailed account of Travis Kelce's rehabilitation progress, his expected return timeline for Week 2, and a significant revelation regarding the Chiefs' initial concerns that Kelce might have sustained a season-ending injury.

"People actually don't know how big of a bullet they missed on Travis Kelce," Glazer said on FOX NFL Sunday. “When it first happened, they actually thought there was a tibial plateau fracture, which is a fracture of the leg which would've put him out for the year. Instead, he just had a really deep bone bruise. They had to pull out 45 CCs of blood.”

The Pro Football Docs contend that if the Chiefs indeed extracted 45 cc of blood, Kelce was far from being in contention to play on Thursday and is unlikely to feature in Week 2. 

If he is active, he will be at much less than 100% health and may only be used in limited situations.

Kelce sustained a bone bruise in his knee early last week, sidelining him for the season-opener against the Lions.

Reports indicate that Kelce was seen riding a bicycle before the game to test his knee, implying that he did not participate fully in on-field workouts. This further suggests that he was never a genuine game-time decision but rather was unlikely to take the field from the outset.

As we assess Kelce's condition heading into Week 2, we have assigned him a 60 SIC score and recommend exploring waiver wire options for tight ends in your fantasy leagues.

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