Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Eric Saubert

Wednesday, June 25, 3:26 PM

During a recent appearance on the "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle said he feels great physically and mentally, and he is not putting a timeline on his retirement. The former fifth-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Iowa said he will play "literally until I don't have fun anymore." The Pro Bowl and All-Pro fixture recently signed a four-year extension to remain with the Niners long term following a 78-catch, 1,106-yard, eight-touchdown season in 2024. "The one benefit of not making the playoffs is you get an entire month off," Kittle said. "I haven't had January off since 2020." This sounds like a great development for Kittle's fantasy managers and his upside in 2025, especially after the departure of receiver Deebo Samuel Sr., who was traded to the Washington Commanders. Kittle is currently being priced as the TE3 in half-PPR ADP, and it would be a surprise if he's not in contention for the overall TE1 once again in his ninth NFL campaign.

Monday, March 24, 8:25 PM

The Seattle Seahawks signed veteran free-agent tight end Eric Saubert to an undisclosed deal on Monday, according to Seahawks.com's John Boyle. Saubert, originally a fifth-round selection (174th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 out of Drake, will now join his eighth NFL team as he heads into his ninth year in the league. The 30-year-old spent last year with the San Francisco 49ers, where he caught 11 of 14 targets for 97 yards and one touchdown in 17 games (three starts). Saubert will remain in the NFC West and will serve as a backup behind Noah Fant and A.J. Barner in Seattle, leaving him virtually no fantasy appeal. Barring injuries to Fant and Barner, expect Saubert to mostly factor in on special teams. His best season came back in 2022 with the Denver Broncos, when he caught 15 of 24 targets for 148 yards and one touchdown in 17 games (six starts).