Blake

Bell

Bell returns for his fourth season with the Chiefs and will slot into his normal backup role alongside Jody Fortson and Noah Gray. He’s caught 60 passes for 641 yards and one touchdown in his career, with his lone touchdown coming in last season’s Week 17 matchup against the Broncos.

Injured in preseason, Bell has not played a snap this year. He’ll fit right into Jody Fortson’s role as the Chiefs sent the part-time player to injured reserve with an elbow injury. Bell, 31, will join Noah Gray as a person you are upset about when they score a touchdown in Weeks 16-18.

Bell, who had surgery in August, will miss the regular season’s first four weeks. Bell caught nine of 13 targets in 2021 as a little-used second or third tight end in the KC offense. His absence will likely lead to increased snaps for Noah Gray in a Chiefs offense that should use more two-TE sets than it has in recent years.

Bell was injured in the Chiefs’ preseason opener. He played roughly a third of the offensive snaps last season as a block-first tight end behind Travis Kelce. His absence will put more on the plates of Noah Gray and Jody Fortson. There’s a chance Bell could miss the season.

Bell saw some late-season run in the KC offense with Travis Kelce sidelined with COVID-19. He caught nine of his 13 targets in 2021 as the Chiefs mostly used him as a blocker. He would seem to enter 2022 behind Noah Gray on the team’s tight end depth chart.

Bell split the pass-catching role with Noah Gray with Travis Kelce (COVID-19) sidelined. Gray ended with two catches on two targets in a game that saw Patrick Mahomes spread out his throws in a three-touchdown effort. Neither Bell nor Gray will have fantasy value with Kelce returning in Week 17.

Kelce, who is vaccinated against COVID-19, couldn’t make it back after testing positive for the virus early this week. Tyreek Hill cleared the league’s COVID protocols and will suit up against Pittsburgh. In Kelce’s place, Noah Gray and Blake Bell will likely split tight end duties for KC. Neither is a reliable fantasy option.

Bell has five catches on nine targets this season but could be more involved in the team’s offense this week against the Steelers if Travis Kelce remains on the COVID-19 list. Bell is third among Kansas City tight ends in pass routes, trailing Kelce and Noah Gray.

The ‘Belldozer’ participated in Kansas City’s Super Bowl LIV win over San Francisco before leaving to become Dallas’ primary blocking tight end. He made a career-high 15 appearances with the Cowboys, totaling 11 catches for 110 yards and seven first-down receptions.

With Jamize Olawale opted out, the Cowboys don’t have a fullback on their roster. It shouldn’t be a hard transition for the inline blocker, though Bell’s still unlikely to see many touches. Bell has 38 catches in five seasons.