Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Dalton Schultz

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.

Wednesday, January 21, 4:11 PM

Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said on Wednesday that tight end Dalton Schultz (calf) is "going to be OK" after getting hurt in the Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday, according to Sam Warren of the Houston Chronicle. Caserio also added that tight end Cade Stover (knee) "avoided serious injury" and should be ready for the offseason program. Before getting hurt on Sunday, Schultz caught both of his targets for 47 yards and was on his way to a big game. Unfortunately, the 29-year-old never returned. He wrapped up his third season in Houston and eighth NFL season overall with a career-high 82 receptions on 106 targets for 777 yards and three touchdowns in 17 regular-season games. Schultz was the TE11 in half-PPR scoring, but for him to become a legitimate TE1 in fantasy, quarterback C.J. Stroud must improve as a passer.