Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs may be on top of the AFC at 11-1 entering Week 14, but the All-Pro tight end is having one of the worst statistical seasons of his 12-year NFL career. This comes as opposing defenses continue to key in on Patrick Mahomes’ favorite target and as age potentially begins to set in.

Through 12 games, Kelce, who turned 35 years old in October, has registered 75 catches, 637 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 101 targets. He’s never scored fewer than four touchdowns in the regular season and his 53.1 yards per game average is his lowest annual mark to date.

Fourth-year backup Noah Gray, who signed a three-year, $18 million extension in September, has come on strong recently with four touchdowns in the last three games, but whispers have persisted as to whether the Chiefs will invest more resources into finding Kelce’s future replacement this offseason.

Athlon Sports’ Luke Easterling predicted just that in the site’s updated 2025 NFL first-round mock draft, which had the Chiefs picking Bowling Green State’s Harold Fannin Jr. at No. 31 overall. “It’s time for the Chiefs to start planning for life after Travis Kelce, who will turn 36 next October,” Easterling wrote, as Kelce is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

“One of the best kept secrets in this year’s class, Fannin is putting up ridiculous numbers this season, and his athleticism and versatility would make him the ideal understudy for Kelce. Giving Patrick Mahomes another explosive weapon at tight end would be a huge win.”

Fannin, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound junior, holds eight records for Bowling Green after notching a conference-leading 100 catches for 1,342 yards and 10 total touchdowns in 2024. A semifinalist for the Mackey Award (most outstanding tight end) and Biletnikoff Award (most outstanding receiver), Fannin is widely considered a Day 2 prospect, who Bleacher Report compared to Baltimore Ravens TE Isaiah Likely.