Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Brock Bowers

Tuesday, January 20, 12:48 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) said on Monday that he expects to return from his torn Achilles "well before November" while also saying he could play close to the 2026 regular-season opener, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Kittle tore his Achilles tendon in the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Jan. 11 and had successful surgery last week. Kittle's Achilles tear was a best-case scenario because he suffered a "clean tear." "They didn't have to drill into my heel," Kittle said. "And where the repair was, there's more blood flow. And so it takes some time off the recovery time." The 32-year-old only played in 11 regular-season games due to injuries in 2025, although he was the TE3 in half-PPR fantasy points per game (12.1), catching 57 passes for 628 yards and seven TDs. While Kittle is optimistic about his recovery, fantasy managers should expect him to miss potentially half the 2026 season.

Friday, February 20, 10:01 AM

After a record-breaking rookie campaign in 2024, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers battled through injury and a less-than-ideal offensive environment in 2025. Across 12 games, Bowers recorded 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns on 86 targets. The 23-year-old suffered a knee injury in Week 1 that he battled through for multiple months before finally being shut down and ending the season on Injured Reserve. However, Bowers should be fully healthy for the start of the 2026 season. The Raiders could also have an improved team around him, as the team appears likely to select University of Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the number one overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. Las Vegas also made coaching staff changes, bringing in former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak as their new head coach. With renewed health and a better supporting cast, Bowers should return to elite fantasy tight end status in 2026 and beyond.