Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Juwan Johnson

Sunday, December 28, 7:04 PM

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Chicago Bears. He had been listed as questionable, but the odds were stacked against him after he missed all three practices this past week. The 49ers left the door open for him to play, but after Kittle tested his ankle during pre-game warmups, the team decided to hold him out. It's a crushing blow for managers who were hoping to have the star tight end available as the fantasy playoffs continue. Instead, Jake Tonges will operate as the 49ers' top tight end. He's a viable replacement on Sunday Night Football, but his ceiling and floor are both lower than Kittle's. Tonges will rank as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end in his pass-catching role behind wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall.

Saturday, December 27, 1:54 PM

New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson hauled in eight of nine targets for 89 yards in the Week 16 victory over the Jets. His eight receptions were his most since Week 1, and Johnson has maintained a steady role in the Saints' passing attack all season, recording either a touchdown or at least four catches in all but two games. With injuries across the offense and a growing connection with rookie quarterback Tyler Shough, he should continue to see a healthy volume of targets. Johnson projects as a TE1 against a Titans defense that ranks middle of the pack against opposing tight ends.