Travis Kelce, the All-Star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs is anticipated to be a top -2 tight end this upcoming season along with Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots. Kelsey had a monster 2016 season capping it off with a MVP of the Pro bowl. Kelce went for 85 receptions compiling 1125 yards but only scoring 4 touchdowns in 2016. This is a monster stat line and he has a potential to do it again. Unfortunately, it was reported that Kelce needed to undergo offseason shoulder surgery briefly after January’s Pro Bowl. Let’s talk about the shoulder as it quite complicated.

The shoulder is a complex joint, made up of 3 bones: the shoulder blade (scapula), the collarbone (clavicle) and the upper arm bone (humerus). The shoulder is best described as a ball & socket joint, similar to the hip joint. Surrounding these 3 bones there are a group of muscles, ligaments, tendons & a bursa (fluid filled sac) combine to create the rotator cuff, shoulder capsule & the bursa. These help to stabilize the shoulder, providing strength, mobility and a smooth range of motion.

Kelce had his shoulder ‘cleaned out,’ in medical terms this means he had a shoulder arthroscopy. This surgery uses a tiny camera, called an arthroscope, to examine, repair & remove loose bodies that may be ‘floating’ around in the shoulder joint. Cartilage, bones, tendons & ligaments are all examined. This procedure can be used to address several different injuries, including rotator cuff repair, impingement syndrome, and shoulder instability. Arthroscopy, which basically involves 3 small incisions that are closed with stitches after completion, leads to much faster recovery times, fewer complications and less pain than the traditional open surgery.

The details on the surgery are limited, but reports say that he will be good to go for training camp and should be a full goal to try to complete his fourth consecutive year without missing a game. It is unclear exactly when Kelce had the procedure, but the good news is that there were no reports yet that this should set him back any extended period of time. With NFL season just around the corner (I’m so excited are you???) we need to keep an eye on how his rehab is progressing.

My opinion is that he will be good to go for the start of training camp. If I decide to draft a TE early, which I may in a PPR league, he would be my first TE target. His health and ability to handle high-volume targets make him a very safe target in the first 3 rounds. The difference between the top 2 TE’s and the 6th or 7th TE is enormous, whereas the difference between the top 2 QBs and the 6-7th QBs is much closer (point wise).

Kelce has the potential to be a top two round pick, depending on where you personally feel like drafting a tight end. Maybe even higher in a PPR league, as any TE that catches 85 passes in a year has the potential to help you raise that championship trophy at the end of the season.

This was written for the @TheFantasyDRS by Dr. Jesse Morse. I am a Family Medicine trained physician, and I will be beginning a Sports Medicine Fellowship at the University of South Florida in Tampa next month. If you have any questions or comments, you can contact me directly at @DrJesseMorse or visit my website at: www.DrJesseMorse.com