Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Drew Sample

Thursday, December 25, 6:20 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) remained sidelined during Thursday's practice. Kittle exited their Monday night victory over the Colts early due to an ankle injury. Following the contest, the star tight end was reported to have suffered a "mid-to-low" ankle sprain. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan has stated Kittle still has a chance to suit up this weekend when the 49ers face the Bears on Sunday night. Managers should pay close attention to his status ahead of Friday's final injury report, as it will likely provide clarity on his availability. If Kittle were to miss Sunday's contest, managers should expect Jake Tonges to slide into the TE1 role while top wideout Jauan Jennings takes on an even higher target share, serving as Brock Purdy's go-to option.

Saturday, September 27, 2:08 PM

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Drew Sample has only three catches this season, with one resulting in a trip to the end zone. The 29-year-old has logged more snaps than Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant (foot) through the first three weeks of the 2025 campaign. However, both have received more attention from quarterbacks Joe Burrow (toe) and Jake Browning. The Bengals offense is a mess, which has been a surprise to most. As a result, it's hard to trust anyone on that side of the ball. Granted, Sample should continue to lead the position in snaps, especially with his abilities as a blocker. Still, while he will likely add a few more scores to his resume before the end of the season, he's not consistent enough to be considered a starting fantasy option in any format in Week 4 versus the Broncos.