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Both San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward had core-muscle surgery this offseason and will be back, fully cleared, in time for training camp this summer, according to general manager John Lynch. It's worth noting, but for Kittle's sake, it's probably not going to have any effect on his 2024 fantasy value unless he suffers a setback during offseason training. The 30-year-old former fifth-round selection in 2017 out of Iowa has made the Pro Bowl in five of his seven NFL seasons and led all tight ends with 1,020 receiving yards in 16 regular-season games in 2023 while also catching 65 passes for six touchdowns on 90 targets. Despite undergoing offseason surgery, Kittle should be considered a no-doubt, top-five fantasy tight end this fall.
Mar 25, 2024 2:31 PM EST
The San Francisco 49ers restructured the contract of tight end George Kittle on Friday to create close to $10 million in 2024 salary cap space. It's likely that the 49ers converted Kittle's base salary this year into bonus money to create the cap space. The 30-year-old former fifth-round pick by the team in 2017 out of Iowa has made the Pro Bowl five times in his first seven seasons and has been a big reason for the 49ers' success in recent year. In 16 regular-season games, Kittle caught 65 of his 90 targets for a league-high 1,020 receiving yards among tight ends and six touchdowns. He only caught two passes for four yards in the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but Kittle continues to be one of the top fantasy tight ends in the game.
Mar 15, 2024 12:09 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle disappointed fantasy gamers in the team's 25-22 Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas on Sunday. Chiefs' defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and his squad silenced Kittle, limiting him to just two catches on three targets for four yards receiving. Though Kittle finished as the fifth-most productive tight end in half-PPR scoring this year, nights like this are to be expected. In five separate games this year, he failed to reach five points. The Super Bowl loss ends Kittle's season with a particularly painful whimper though, as he finished with fewer than 10 yards receiving for just the third time this season. Of course, you can't have a top-5 finish without great games as well, so he'll likely be a mid-level TE1 in fantasy drafts this fall as he tries to get to the Super Bowl for a third time.
Feb 12, 2024 2:51 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (toe) missed a third straight day of practice this week on Friday but was not given an injury designation after the first week of preparation for Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Feb. 11. Kittle suffered a minor toe injury in the NFC Championship win over the Detroit Lions last Sunday and was considered day-to-day on Monday, but he told reporters he's not worried about his injury and he should return to the practice field next week. Even if the Super Bowl were being played this weekend, Kittle would likely play. The 30-year-old caught just two passes for 27 yards in the win over the Lions, but he led all tight ends with just over 1,000 yards during the regular season and had four catches for 81 yards and a touchdown in the Divisional Round win over the Packers. Kittle could easily rebound in the Super Bowl against a Chiefs defense that was vulnerable to opposing TEs late in the season.
Feb 2, 2024 7:00 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was instrumental in the team's 24-21 comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers in Saturday's Divisional Round. Kittle secured four of seven targets for a team-leading 81 yards and a touchdown. The second-quarter, 32-yard strike was San Francisco's first score of the game and a brilliant display of what Kittle is capable of in one-on-one coverage. In the fourth quarter, he committed a bad drop during the 49ers' final drive that may not have been so easily forgotten had Brandon Aiyuk not picked up a first down the next play en route to the comeback. Kittle will be a boom/bust option when he takes on either the Detroit Lions or Tampa Bay Buccaneers in next Sunday's NFC Championship Game in Santa Clara.
Jan 21, 2024 1:18 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (back) put in three full practices this week and was removed from the final injury report on Thursday. He will play in the Divisional Round of the postseason on Saturday versus the visiting Green Bay Packers. Kittle had some minor back spasms that kept him out of a meaningless Week 18 regular season finale and he had the bye week to rest up even more in the wild-card round. The 30-year-old will be a popular DFS play in the Divisional Round this weekend after leading all tight ends in 2023 with 1,020 receiving yards despite not playing in Week 18. The Packers defense was a middle-of-the-road matchup for opposing tight ends, but they also allowed three touchdowns to Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson in the wild-card round. Kittle is the third-most expensive player at his position at DraftKings with a $5,200 price tag.
Jan 18, 2024 8:35 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (back) and wide receiver Danny Gray (shoulder) were both full participants in practice on Wednesday for the second straight day this week. Back spasms kept Kittle out of a meaningless Week 18 regular season finale, but he's had the last two weeks to rest and should be a full-go for the Divisional Round playoff game this Saturday against the visiting Green Bay Packers. The 30-year-old should thus be a popular DFS play against the Packers this weekend after leading all tight ends with 1,020 receiving yards during the regular season on 65 catches in 16 games. He also found the end zone six times. Only the Chiefs' Travis Kelce and Lions' Sam LaPorta are more expensive at the position on DraftKings for the Divisional Round.
Jan 17, 2024 7:25 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (back) and wide receiver Danny Gray (shoulder) were both listed as full practice participants on Tuesday's report. The 49ers gave Kittle the Week 18 regular season finale off due to back spasms in what was a meaningless game, and it appears that the last two weeks off did him some good. Barring a setback later this week, the 30-year-old should be full steam ahead for the Divisional Round matchup on Saturday against the Green Bay Packers. Right now, Kittle is the third-most expensive tight end at DraftKings for the Divisional Round after going for over 1,000 yards receiving with six touchdowns on 65 receptions during the regular season. With proper rest to heal up, Kittle will be a strong DFS tight end play this weekend against a Packers defense that just gave up three touchdowns to Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson.
Jan 16, 2024 7:20 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (back spasms) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles) have both been ruled out for the remainder of Week 18 versus the Los Angeles Rams. Both players were technically active this week but will not play. Neither player was in full uniform as Sunday's game kicked off. None of this news comes as a surprise given that San Francisco has clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed and has no reason to jeopardize the health of its key starters. Charlie Woerner will step up as the Niners' top tight end while Dee Winters takes over at weakside linebacker. Neither of them are on the fantasy radar.
Jan 7, 2024 4:49 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has been great during the latter part of the season, ranking as the overall TE3 in half-PPR formats from Week 10 onward. Last week in Washington, however, he fell flat for fantasy managers playing for championships, having only mustered 4.4 half-PPR points. Kittle is risky this week versus the Los Angeles Rams, as the 49ers have locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC and are resting quarterback Brock Purdy. Should the 49ers choose to diminish Kittle's snaps, there isn't much depth behind him with Ross Dwelley (ankle) out. The rest of the 49ers tight ends -- including those on the practice squad -- have combined for just 15 career targets. Consider Kittle a fantasy starter this week, but with some risk since San Francisco's personnel decisions outside of Purdy and Christian McCaffrey are unknown.
Jan 6, 2024 4:30 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle chipped in a modest 4.4 half-PPR points in Sunday's 27-10 road victory over the Washington Commanders. The boom/bust tight end came into the game as a top option but only mustered three catches on four targets for 29 yards receiving. Fantasy managers can't complain too much though, as Kittle came into the game as the second-most productive fantasy tight end this year after being drafted as the TE4 by ADP. Next, Kittle and the 49ers will host the Los Angeles Rams, the former team having little to play for after clinching the No. 1 seed on Sunday. Any Kittle managers still competing in Week 18 will need to tune into San Francisco's personnel plan this week to determine whether Kittle is playable.
Dec 31, 2023 5:37 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was heavily involved in the team's losing effort to the Baltimore Ravens last week on Christmas night. He caught seven passes for 126 yards on 10 targets. In a Week 17 matchup, Kittle will face the lowly Washington Commanders defense who have been -- surprisingly -- sixth-best at keeping tight ends off the fantasy scoreboard. Kittle has spent much of 2023 in mid-TE1 territory but since Week 11, he's been the No. 1 tight end in half-PPR formats (14 PPG). It may be fair to point out that Kittle's ascendance in the rankings is just as much a product of Travis Kelce's struggles and the absence of TJ Hockenson (knee), but the recent production is undeniable. However it's sliced, fantasy managers starting Kittle in championship week probably have the advantage at tight end. He's a must-start in Week 17 and maybe the overall top play.
Dec 30, 2023 4:16 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle caught seven of 10 targets for 126 yards receiving in the team's 33-19 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas night. Both the reception total and yardage were both team-highs. It was a welcome time for the former Hawkeye to churn out his second-highest yardage total of the season with fantasy managers pushing for championship week. Kittle and the 49ers get a floundering Commanders defense in Washington in Week 17.
Dec 26, 2023 1:38 AM EST
Although San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has generated moderate production in recent weeks, the overall story of his 2023 is best told as a rollercoaster of boom/bust performances. In Week 16, Kittle will square off against the Baltimore Ravens, whose defense puts him at risk of leaving fantasy managers high and dry in the playoffs. The Ravens defense is nasty in general and that holds when considering their performances against tight ends as well. Baltimore has given up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this year with just 5.5 points allowed per game. That's not to say fantasy managers should be benching Kittle in a titanic Christmas night matchup, just that expectations should be tempered. Consider the 30-year-old YAC monster a mid-tier TE1 in Week 16.
Dec 24, 2023 12:48 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle had two catches on four targets for 54 yards in Sunday's 45-29 win over the Cardinals in Arizona. The 49ers explosive offense once again created big fantasy totals but Kittle was largely left out of the festivities. Kittle's four targets were his lowest total since Week 10 at Jacksonville. The bulk of his yardage came on a third-quarter crosser where Kittle showed off his YAC skills for a 35-yard gain. It's also worth noting that Kittle missed out on another potential catch and target when he was bailed out of a drop by a defensive penalty. He'll be recommended for fantasy lineups in Week 16 when the 49ers host the Baltimore Ravens on MNF.
Dec 17, 2023 8:24 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle provided nice returns for fantasy managers in a Week 14 win against the Seattle Seahawks. He had three receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown. Kittle has been boom/bust for most of the year; he's only had four games this year where he produced more than five points but fewer than 16. Two of those four games have come in the past two weeks. Arizona's pass defense overall is mediocre but they've kept opposing tight ends under control, checking into Week 15 as the tenth-stingiest against the position in fantasy. Still, fantasy's third-most productive 0.5 PPR tight end this season should be started in all formats in Week 15.
Dec 16, 2023 2:59 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle caught his sixth touchdown of the season in Sunday's 28-16 win against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on Sunday. He reeled in three of five targets for 76 yards along with the score. Kittle once again proved that he's one of the hardest players in the league to take down once he gets his hands on the ball. The 30-year-old caught a dime from Brock Purdy -- dropped right over his defender on a mid-range vertical route -- in stride and weaved his way to the end zone on the 44-yard house call. Next up, Kittle gets the Cardinals in Arizona in a Week 15 divisional matchup.
Dec 11, 2023 1:25 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was useful to fantasy managers in the team's 42-19 victory over the Seattle Seahawks last week with a six-target, four-reception, 68-yard performance. It was one of the rare times this year that Kittle avoided grossly over- or underperforming his projections. Kittle draws the Seattle Seahawks this week at home, who held him three receptions for 19 yards just two weeks ago. Seattle's pass defense has been suspect overall, ranking in the bottom third of the league in yards allowed but they've been pretty good at containing tight ends, allowing only 6.5 standard fantasy points to the position per game. Kittle is a must-start boom/bust TE1 in Week 14.
Dec 9, 2023 3:47 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle secured four of his six targets for 68 yards in the team's blowout victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Even though he was able to reach double-digit PPR points, the former All-Pro was the San Francisco weapon left out of the fun. Deebo Samuel scored three times, Brandon Aiyuk grabbed another touchdown, Christian McCaffrey scored on the ground, and even Jauan Jennings found paydirt. Kittle will be right back in the TE1 range next week when the Niners host the Seattle Seahawks.
Dec 4, 2023 9:45 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has been an extremely volatile fantasy asset this year, offering week-winning performances in four of his outings, but scoring fewer than five 0.5 PPR points in five different games. In Week 12, he cooled off after three straight hot ones, catching just three balls on five targets for 19 yards at Seattle. Kittle will take on a struggling Eagles pass defense on Sunday in Philadelphia. Philly's defense has been torn apart by wide receivers this year but they've been vulnerable to tight ends as well, albeit to a lesser degree, allowing the eighth-most standard fantasy points per game to tight ends. With a plus matchup and a thin pool at his position in Week 13, Kittle is projected behind only Travis Kelce among must-start TE1s.
Dec 2, 2023 5:14 AM EST
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