Travis Kelce is the ultimate tight end prospect. He can run like a wide receiver, has the balance of a running back, run blocks like an offensive tackle, catches the ball with incredibly soft hands, and has a plethora of moves that he can utilize once the ball is in his hands. In short: Kelce is a great blocker who can catch the ball and takes multiple defenders to bring down.

Despite the addition of Anthony Fasano via free agency, Kelce was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs  in third round of the NFL draft. Although he remains unsigned, Kelce is the most gripping fantasy option of the three Kansas City tight ends. Let’s take a look at Kelce’s outlook after a glance at Kelce’s college statistics as a Cincinnati Bearcat.

Let’s start with Kelce’s incredible athleticism. In his first season after redshirting in Cincinnati, Kelce played the wildcat quarterback on top of tight end. In his senior year, he averaged 16 yard per catch, sixth for a tight end in college football. He had more catches (45) than the five tight ends in front of him in the yards per catch category. This is a tight end who can stretch the field, and can play more than just tight end. He’ll be moved around the in the Chiefs’ offense to play a multitude of positions, including a dabble at outside receiver, as he’s already done in organized team activities (OTAs).

Speaking of his performance in OTAs, he’s already receiving praise from head coach Andy Reid. Although Kelce calls himself a “different breed of player” that can “get after a guy in the run game, but at the same time catch a ball and go 80 to the house”, Reid had a comparison for the brother of Travis Kelce, his former center in Philadelphia. According to The Kansas City Star, Reid compared Kelce to retired tight end Jeremy Shockey.

If we’re comparing Shockey to Kelce, Shockey had 894 yards and two touchdowns on 74 receptions in his rookie season with the Giants in 2002. Those numbers would be huge for a rookie tight end in today’s game.  Like the Giants, the Chiefs will use a lot of two-tight end sets that will feature Fasano and Kelce in 2012. Shockey’s complement in 2002 with the Giants was Daniel Campbell, a 6’5”, 263 lbs. blocking tight end that finished the season with only 10 receiving yards per game. That could be Fasano (6’4”, 255 lbs.) or incumbent starter Tony Moeaki  (6’3”, 252 lbs.) this season, although it appears that Moeaki will be the odd man out in this situation.

The Chiefs also need big production from their tight ends this season as a result of the lack of depth and experience behind Dwayne Bowe, something that hasn’t happened in the past for the Chiefs. Tight ends in the offense since Tony Gonzalez left for the Atlanta Falcons have totaled 46, 61, 35 and 44 catches. Under Reid, the Eagles have totaled 79, 51, 75 and 82 catches over the past four years, primarily from Brent Celek and Clay Harbor.

Your takeway: Reid loves his tight ends, and he proved it by taking a tight end in the third-round after nabbing Fasano in free agency. As stated earlier, Fasano, who hasn’t been an ample pass catcher in his first seven years in the NFL, as he topped out at just 41 receptions in 2012, should be used primarily as a blocker in the new offense. Kelce, on the other hand, should be used abundantly as a pass-catcher in Reid’s offense, just as Brent Celek (6’4”, 255 lbs. compared to Kelce’s 6’5” 260 lbs) was in Philadelphia. Kelce, unlike most rookies, is certain to make an immediate impact and also have a long-term fruition in Kansas City under Reid’s tight end-happy offense.

2013 Stat Projection: 64 receptions, 792 yards, four touchdowns