[JD10367]

Tony G: 270 games, 1325 rec, 15127 yds, 11.4 ypc 111 TDs. Average per game with mostly crap QBs: 5 rec, 56 yds, 0.4 TDs.

Rob Gronkowski: 115 games, 521 rec, 7861 yds, 15.1 ypc, 79 TDs. Average per game with one of the GOAT QBs: 4.5 rec, 68 yds, 0.4 TDs.

George Kittle: 45 games, 216 rec, 2945 yds, 13.6 ypc, 12 TDs. Average per game with mostly crap QBs: 4.8 rec, 65.4 yds, 0.25 TDs.

Travis Kelce: 96 games, 507 rec, 6465 yds, 12.8 ypc, 37 TDs. Average per game with mostly crap QBs until recently: 5.28 rec, 67.3 yds, 0.385 TDs.

Average receptions per game, in order: Kelce, Tony G, Kittle, Gronk

Average yards per game, in order: Gronk, Kelce, Kittle, Tony G (but Gronk played with a GOAT and the others didn't)

Average yards per catch, in order: Gronk, Kittle, Kelce, Tony G

Average TDs per game, in order: Gronk/Tony G, Kelce, Kittle (last by a wide margin, which is worse because guys like Gronk and Kelce have to share the ball with other great pass-catchers)

Putting them in finishing order per category, where your total is "lowest is best":

Gronk's positioning: 4, 1, 1, 1T -- total of 7
Kelce's positioning: 1, 2, 3, 3 -- total of 9
Tony G's positioning: 2, 4, 4, 1T -- total of 11
Kittle's positioning: 3, 3, 2, 4 -- total of 12

But we have to knock Gronk down a bit for playing his whole career with Brady. Although he and Kittle do get some extra credit for blocking--Gronk more so, in my opinion.

So what does all this mean? Personally, to me it means that Kelce is better than people give him credit for. A lot better. I think in his career, if he can stay healthy, he's going to be right up there with Gronk and above Tony G as one of the GOATs. Kittle? He's good but, honestly, there are a lot of good young TEs in the league right now. Kittle didn't even finish #1 in any of those average categories, and only had one #2 spot (YPC).