Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Brock Bowers

Tuesday, October 21, 12:53 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges saw just seven snaps in the team's 20-10 win on Sunday Night Football in Week 7. With George Kittle (hamstring) back from injured reserve, the former All-Pro reclaimed his spot at the top of the depth chart, and Tonges fell to third in the pecking order behind Luke Farrell as well. Tonges operated as San Francisco's top tight end while Kittle was on injured reserve after injuring his hamstring in Week 1. Injuries to wide receivers Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs, shoulder) over the subsequent weeks turned Tonges into a streaming candidate. During Kittle's absence, Tonges had three top-12 finishes at his position. Kittle's return tanks Tonges' fantasy value for San Francisco's Week 8 matchup against Houston and beyond. He can be dropped in all leagues.

Monday, October 20, 3:00 PM

Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers (knee) has missed the last three games as he recovers from the bone bruise and PCL injury he sustained in the season opener, but according to head coach Pete Carroll, he's expected to return to the field following the team's Week 8 bye. The Raiders are coming off one of the worst offensive performances in recent history, managing fewer than 100 total yards in a 31-0 shellacking from the Kansas City Chiefs, so for multiple reasons, the bye week comes at a good time. Bowers caught five of eight targets for 103 yards in Week 1, but was clearly limited in his next three outings, lacking his trademark explosiveness as he played with a knee brace. Rather than risk further injury, the team made the decision to shut him down until he's fully healthy, and he is now in line to play in Week 9 against the Jaguars. While he may need to work himself back into game shape, he should still be inserted right back into starting lineups, as the upside he offers at the position is practically unmatched across the league.