Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce remained limited in Thursday’s practice as the team prepares for Sunday night’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The official injury report listed Kelce with an ankle designation for the second consecutive day. He was also limited on Wednesday.
Kelce suffered the injury in the first quarter of last Sunday’s 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium. Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley tackled him after a screen-pass catch. Trainers examined and taped the ankle on the sideline before Kelce returned to finish the game.
He recorded four catches for 53 yards against the Chargers, including a 24-yard reception from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Those numbers kept him active despite the setback.
Through five games this season, Kelce has 20 receptions for 299 yards and two touchdowns. He ranks as one of the Chiefs’ primary receiving options even as his role has shifted somewhat from earlier in the year.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid addressed the issue after the Chargers game.
“Kelce tweaked his ankle there,” Reid said. He added that Kelce “might be a little sore tomorrow, but he did a nice job tonight.”
The Chiefs enter the matchup at 5-0 and already face other absences in the passing game. Wide receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton remain unavailable. Rice has been dealing with hamstring and knee issues and did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. Thornton is expected to miss most or all of the regular season after dislocating an ankle earlier.
Offensive lineman Jaylon Moore sat out both sessions with a concussion. Mahomes, listed with a knee issue, practiced fully on Wednesday and Thursday.
Kelce has accounted for 18.4 percent of the Chiefs’ 147 targets through Week 6, according to StatChasers data. That places him second on the team behind wide receiver Xavier Worthy’s 19.7 percent share. Running back Kenneth Walker holds 15.0 percent, while Rice and Thornton combine for 21.8 percent.
If Kelce were also sidelined, more than 40 percent of Kansas City’s target volume would be unavailable. Remaining options such as Noah Gray, Jalen Royals and Emmett Johnson have combined for 19.0 percent of targets.
Walker leads the NFL with 665 rushing yards on 106 carries, averaging 6.3 yards per attempt with six touchdowns. His production has helped the offense stay balanced while the receiving corps deals with injuries.
Historical data from Footballguys analyst Adam Hutchison shows that players listed as limited in their final practice of the week played on Sunday 71 percent of the time from 2017 through 2023. Full participants played 86 percent of the time, while those who did not practice at all played only 29 percent.
Kelce does not yet have an official game status. The Chiefs will issue those designations after Friday’s session. NBC Sports projections have listed him as likely to start, noting that a full practice is not always required for availability.
Friday’s practice report will provide the next indication of his readiness. The inactives list, released about 90 minutes before Sunday night’s kickoff at Lumen Field, will give the final word on whether Kelce is available.
The Seahawks enter as the reigning Super Bowl champions. Kansas City’s offense has leaned on Walker’s ground game and Mahomes’ ability to distribute the ball while managing the ankle issue with Kelce.
