Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce is already among the greatest tight ends in NFL history, and this week, he will likely make his already impressive resume that much more convincing. Kelce is tied with wideout Tim Brown for the seventh-most receptions in NFL history with 1,094, meaning one catch from quarterback Patrick Mahomes and he will have sole possession of that mark.
The Chiefs face the 3-0 Las Vegas Raiders and their strong pass defense, which is tied for the sixth-fewest completions allowed in the league (59).
Cris Carter is No. 6 on the all-time list with 1,101 receptions, just seven more than Kelce. Marvin Harrison is at No. 5 with 1,102, eight more than Kelce. When he hits nine more catches, Kelce will be at No. 5 on his own. He could move multiple spots this week and has the chance to move up to No. 5. If he doesn't get it done this week, it should only take a few weeks for him to be in the top 5.
Rank | Player | Receptions | How many more receptions than Kelce |
1 | Jerry Rice | 1,549 | 455 |
2 | Larry Fitzgerald | 1,432 | 338 |
3 | Tony Gonzalez | 1,325 | 231 |
4 | Jason Witten | 1,228 | 134 |
5 | Marvin Harrison | 1,102 | 8 |
6 | Cris Carter | 1,101 | 7 |
| (t)7 | Tim Brown | 1,094 | -- |
| (t)7 | Travis Kelce | 1,094 | -- |
Predicting when Kelce will move up to No. 5
In Week 1 against the Miami Dolphins, Kelce recorded two receptions on two targets. He registered nine receptions on 11 targets in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, and caught three more balls on five targets in Week 3 against the Denver Broncos. He has 14 receptions total in the three wins, for an average of 4.6 catches per game.
If Kelce continues his trend of average receptions per game, he will pass Carter in Week 5 and will pass Harrison in Week 6. That said, the veteran always has a chance to have a big game and get those would-be historic receptions earlier.
How far Kelce can move up on the list this year
If Kelce continues to average 4.6 receptions per game, he will finish the year with 78 catches if he plays all 17 games at the average. That would put him at 1,172 all-time, which would still put him at No. 5, as Jason Witten has 1,228 at No. 4.
To reach No. 4, Kelce needs 134 catches. The most receptions he has recorded in a single year is 110, and his 17-game average is 95 a year. If he plays in 2027 and continues at a similar level, he would likely pass Witten sometime next season.
At 36, Kelce will be hanging up the cleats sooner rather than later. While he hasn't announced whether he will retire after this year, after 14 seasons, it wouldn't come as a shock.
