Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Brock Bowers

Tuesday, December 16, 6:33 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle led the team in receptions and targets in the team's 37-24 win over the Titans on Sunday. Kittle caught eight of the nine balls thrown his way for a season-high 88 yards and a touchdown, his sixth of the year. Kittle missed five games with a hamstring injury earlier this season and was blanked in his return in Week 7, but since then, he has been a welcome presence on fantasy football rosters. Since Week 8, Kittle has averaged 5.9 receptions, 6.9 targets, and 65.6 yards per game and ranks third among tight ends in receptions and receiving yards. Kittle will again be in the TE1 conversation in Week 16, when the 49ers square off against the Colts on Monday Night Football.

Friday, December 19, 5:03 PM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers has an opportunity to bounce back in Week 16 against the Houston Texans. The second-year tight end is coming off a disappointing Week 15 showing without quarterback Geno Smith (back, shoulder), hauling in six of his eight targets for just 28 yards, scoring single-digit fantasy points for the first time since Week 10. Despite this poor result, Bowers played 90% of the team's snaps, ran a route on every drop-back, and had a target share of 32%, signifying his importance in Las Vegas' overall passing scheme. Smith will start in Week 16, and Bowers is his preferred target against a Texans defense that just gave up 12 receptions, 134 yards, and two touchdowns to Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, a career day for him, in Week 15. Since returning from injury in Week 9, Bowers has been a steady TE1 option for fantasy managers, averaging 16.9 PPR points per game. Bowers has a safe floor and should be started in all league formats in Week 16, but a sputtering Raiders' offense against a dominant Texans defense will probably limit his upside.