Should I Start George Kittle?

Wednesday, July 15, 12:47 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges gave fantasy managers a useful preview of what he can do when George Kittle is missing. In the six games Kittle sat last season, Tonges caught 29 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns. The other 11 games produced five catches for 24 yards. That is about as clean as it gets. San Francisco brought Tonges back on a two-year deal, so he should again handle most of the receiving work if Kittle is not ready. Kittle is targeting Week 1 after tearing his right Achilles in the playoffs, but no return date is locked in. Tonges could have some early streaming value if the recovery stretches into September. Once Kittle is back, though, the role can vanish in a hurry. At 27 and TE38 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, Tonges makes sense for contenders that need Kittle insurance or short-term depth. Rebuilders do not need to chase a player whose value depends almost entirely on someone else's rehab.