Travis Kelce or Darren Waller? Who will end 2021 as the best TE in the NFL?

The 2021 NFL season may just be entering the second week of the schedule, but there is already a discussion surrounding who's the best tight end in the league.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has always been a perennial frontrunner for the title, but he could have some competition from another tight end right there in the AFC West in the Las Vegas Raiders' Darren Waller.

Will Kelce or Waller end the 2021 NFL season as the best tight end?

Since the Raiders' thrilling overtime win on Monday night, there has been a lot of talk about Darren Waller's ability as a tight end. He is clearly quarterback Derek Carr's favorite target and, as proclaimed after the game, head coach Jon Gruden's favorite as well.

Waller was the most targeted player on the field Monday night and has over 100 receiving yards in five of the last six games he has played in. Waller recorded over 1,100 receiving yards in both the 2019 and 2020 seasons, adding to the rebound he has seen in his career since becoming a member of the Raiders.

Travis Kelce, on the other hand, is currently the longest tenured player on the Kansas City Chiefs. In the Chiefs' Week 1 game against the Cleveland Browns, Kelce had just 76 receiving yards but did have two touchdowns. His numbers don't always reflect the impact he has on the field as a blocker as well, which is how the Chiefs were able to use him on some plays because of their stacked offense.

As divisional foes, Kelce's Chiefs and Waller's Raiders will face each other twice this season. Who will be the clear winner by the end of the season?

It actually may come down to the quarterbacks. Patrick Mahomes continues to lead the Chiefs offense to record-breaking seasons each year. Mahomes can make plays happen and get to receivers, including Travis Kelce, when others might not be able to.

Darren Waller's quarterback Derek Carr doesn't always have that ability to make the play happen as Mahomes does. It also doesn't help Waller's case that he is the Raiders' best receiving option. Opposing defenses are most likely going to start double-teaming Waller, which could hinder his productivity. The best case-scenario for Waller would be to have another Raiders receiver have an uptick in their production to help take the pressure off him.

Travis Kelce may very well end up being the best tight end by the end of the 2021 NFL season. The Chiefs star has the overall receiving and blocking ability, and the talented Chiefs offense will help his performance scale new heights.

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