[Shaid]

Originally Posted by 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).

Longevity matters. Tony has more than twice the games of Gronk and still averaged as high as he did. Undisputed best ever. Kelce has years left but started later. He most likely doesn't catch Tony because of that. Kittle is young and good but you've got to put in multiple years before you get into these conversations. Gronk had injuries really catch up to him and Kittle is much more baby Gronk than Kelce ever was. We'll see how it all plays out.

For right now, which is really what the OP is about, Kittle is damn good and probably a better blocker than Kelce. He's still not as good a receiver as Kelce. If they ran a pass heavy offense and he was getting doubled up constantly, the route running would be more apparent.