Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Kendrick Bourne

Monday, March 25, 2:31 PM

Both San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward had core-muscle surgery this offseason and will be back, fully cleared, in time for training camp this summer, according to general manager John Lynch. It's worth noting, but for Kittle's sake, it's probably not going to have any effect on his 2024 fantasy value unless he suffers a setback during offseason training. The 30-year-old former fifth-round selection in 2017 out of Iowa has made the Pro Bowl in five of his seven NFL seasons and led all tight ends with 1,020 receiving yards in 16 regular-season games in 2023 while also catching 65 passes for six touchdowns on 90 targets. Despite undergoing offseason surgery, Kittle should be considered a no-doubt, top-five fantasy tight end this fall.

Sunday, March 10, 9:22 PM

Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne agreed to a new deal to remain in New England. The contract is for three years, and he'll be eligible to earn up to $33 million. The 28-year-old amassed 406 yards and four touchdowns off 37 catches last season. However, despite appearing on track for a career year, Bourne suffered a torn ACL during the AFC East battle with the Miami Dolphins in Week 8. Fortunately, he should be ready to go for the 2024-25 campaign. But with a new head coach in the equation and Mac Jones out of the picture, Bourne could have a tough time finding his rhythm. His knee injury is also something fantasy managers should keep in the back of their heads. Yet, while reaching for him during fantasy drafts heading into the new season isn't recommended, he's worth grabbing if he's available later than expected.