Few fans outside of Kansas City probably know that Travis Kelce missed his entire rookie season back in 2013 due to a knee injury. Safe to say he’s made up for lost time, is a first ballot Hall of Famer and arguably the best tight end in NFL history. While fantasy football owners drool over his talents and cherry pick him as the top tight end off the board every year, Kelce’s playoff resume may be his most impressive accomplishment. Last week, the Jacksonville Jaguars knew Plan A for the Chiefs was to get the ball to Kelce and no matter if it were Patrick Mahomes or Chad Henne, the Jags couldn’t stop him. He caught 14 of 17 targets for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Heading into the AFC Championship against the Bengals, here are Kelce’s playoff averages:
Playoff Games |
Receptions (Targets) |
Receiving Yards |
Total Touchdowns |
16 |
7.5 (9.4) |
86.8 |
14 (1.8 per playoff game) |
Remember, Mahomes didn’t come into Kelce’s career until 2018. Kelce managed to keep these averages solid throughout the Alex Smith era, too. So, whether or not Mahomes’ ankle sprain limits him Sunday or if Henne relieves once more, a strong argument could be made that Kelce will continue to deliver even with a game-manager behind center.
Speaking of tight ends, Bengals Hayden Hurst popped up on the injury report Thursday with a calf injury – an ailment that hampered him during the regular season. In the NFC, 49ers George Kittle and Dallas Goedert both could find paydirt Sunday afternoon. So, just for the sake of argument, here are all four tight ends’ anytime touchdown odds at DraftKings:
Tight End |
Anytime Touchdown Odds |
Travis Kelce |
-115 |
Dallas Goedert |
+180 |
George Kittle |
+160 |
Hayden Hurst |
+270 |
If you parlay Kelce and Hurt both to score, odds are 6-to-1, while a Goedert + Kittle anytime TD parlay pays +650. If you same-game parlay both pairings, where all four tight ends score Sunday, odds shoot up to +5150.
AFC & NFC Championship Player Prop Picks
Quarterback - Jalen Hurts SGP O249.5 Pass, O49.5 Rush, 2+ Pass TD
This same-game parlay carries +450 odds. The 49ers rush defense's reputation is well-known at this juncture. For the Eagles to advance to the Super Bowl, Hurts needs to find another gear we’ve witnessed on and off this season. He’s passed for 250-or-more yards only five times this season, but San Francisco’s greatest weakness on defense is the secondary and with the Eagles’ front seven protecting their franchise quarterback, I think he balls out Sunday afternoon.
Running Back – Isiah Pacheco 55+ Rush Yards
Clyde Edwards-Helaire remains on injured reserve with an ankle injury and there is no guarantee he suits up Sunday. Pacheco isn’t a household name in the Chiefs pass-happy offense, but he’s averaged 8.0 yards per carry over his past two games and has carved out a consistent role in the Kansas City backfield. With Mahomes hobbled, there might be a little extra emphasis on getting the running game going to keep the Bengals pass rush honest. Since early-November, Pacheco has rushed for 58-or-more yards in 9 out of his 10 games played.
Wide Receiver – Deebo Samuel U 4.5 Receptions
Samuel has been held to 4-or-fewer receptions in seven games this season. The Eagles pass defense ranks first in the NFL and they only allow 10 receptions per game to opposing wide receivers. Knowing the ball is either going to Samuel or Kittle, I’d expect the coverage on the 49ers duo to be tight.
Wide Receiver - Tyler Boyd O39.5 Rec. Yards, 4+ Receptions & Anytime TD
This is my go big or go home same-game parlay of the weekend. Boyd has been uber quiet in recent weeks, but did catch four passes for 60 yards in the Bengals win over the Chiefs during the regular season. He only has one touchdown over his past 10 games after catching four through the first two months of the season. If Hurst is OUT with his calf injury, expect the 6-to-1 odds on this prop to shrink somewhat, but it’s all hands on deck to beat the Chiefs and I think Boyd steps up with Chase smothered.
Tight End – Kelce 2+ TDs
The Bengals have played two playoff games, the leading receiver on the Ravens was Mark Andrews and leading receiver on the Bills was Dawson Knox. You can get 6-to-1 odds that Kelce scores at least two touchdowns for the second week in a row.