3 players who could shine for the Chiefs in Week 1 if Travis Kelce is out

The Kansas City Chiefs will start their title defense with a home game against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night. Travis Kelce has dominated the headlines leading up to the game after suffering a bone bruise in his knee at practice.

While there's hope that Kelce can get the swelling down and make an appearance in Week 1, bone bruises can be painful and his status is questionable. Kelce led the Chiefs in receptions (110), receiving yards (1,338), and touchdowns (12) last season. He is Patrick Mahomes' favorite target and the pillar of Kansas City's No. 1 offense. His absence would be profoundly felt, even if only for a week.

The Chiefs are known for their offensive depth, however, as well as Mahomes' ability to consistently turn garbage into gold. If Kelce is forced to miss Week 1, there are several players on offense who stand to benefit. No player can replace Kelce's impact in its entirety, but there's a chance the Chiefs can piece together a similarly explosive offense with some classic Andy Reid ingenuity and a little Mahomes magic.

Here are three players to keep an eye on.

Chiefs player who could step up without Travis Kelce: Noah Gray

A fifth-round pick out of Duke in the 2021 NFL Draft, Noah Gray has appeared in every game for the Chiefs since his arrival. He doesn't get the same attention as Kelce at the tight end position, but Gray started eight games next to Kelce last season and he's a regular fixture in Andy Reid's offense, both as a blocker and as a pass-catcher.

While Gray's pass-catching duties are generally sparse, he's far from incompetent. He caught 28 of 34 targets last season for 299 yards and a touchdown. He even added a one-yard rushing touchdown, for good measure. He averages 10.7 yards per catch, so he's capable of legging out big gains.

Kelce makes several absurd catches over the middle of the field every game. Gray won't be a one-to-one replacement for Kelce, but he's a 6-foot-4, 240-pound target for Mahomes to fall back on if his favorite tight end is relegated to sideline duties. The Chiefs don't have the deepest WR room, so there's reason to believe Gray could get a healthy target share as Kelce's understudy.