Top 100 NFL players entering the 2020 season: No. 30-21
By Samuel Teets
24. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
Two tight ends cracked the top 25 on the top 100. While Kelce sits over a dozen spots behind his fellow tight end, the reigning Super Bowl champion is one of the NFL’s best pass-catchers. He’s even on par with some of the league’s Pro Bowl receivers, and a newly inked four-year, $57.25 million extension ensures that he’s one of the 15-highest-paid pass-catchers in the NFL.
Ranking Kelce among the league’s top receivers seems fitting. In a recent article ranking the top 15 active tight ends, PFF’s Ben Linsey revealed that Kelce, “lined up in the slot or out wide on 54% of his routes in 2019 — significantly above the league average of 31% for the tight end position.” Kelce finished the season with 97 receptions for 1,229 yards and five touchdowns.
While he isn’t a great blocker, Kelce is the NFL’s best receiving tight end. Last year marked his fourth consecutive season with over 1,000 receiving yards, which is a league record. Kelce hasn’t finished a season with fewer than 860 receiving yards since his rookie season, which ended early because of injuries.
23. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
Rodgers isn’t playing at an MVP level anymore. That doesn’t mean he’s undeserving of a high ranking spot on the top 100. However, the 36-year-old hasn’t put together a 30-touchdown season since 2016. Nevertheless, Rodgers led the Packers to a 13-3 record and an NFC Championship appearance last year. The team repaid him by drafting Jordan Love in the first-round.
During his two MVP campaigns, Rodgers threw for well over 4,000 yards, averaged a 117.35 passer rating, and averaged 41 passing touchdowns. He only threw for 4,002 yards and 26 touchdowns in 2019. Rodgers hasn’t posted a passer rating over 100 since 2016, and his 62.0 completion percentage this past season was his second-lowest since 2006.
Rodgers hasn’t had a tremendous supporting cast recently, but his options aren’t horrible either. While the former backup still owns the record for career touchdowns to interception ratio, he’s no longer a top-five quarterback.