Who Should I Start? George Kittle or Michael Mayer
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.3 | -0.1 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 43.0 | 0.3 |
George Kittle News
Thursday, September 10, 9:50 AM
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) beat the usual recovery timeline for the Achilles tear he suffered in January and will be active for the team's season opener on Thursday night. Despite being limited in practices this week, he carries no injury designation heading into the Week 1 matchup against the Rams in Melbourne. In Kittle's only game against Los Angeles in 2025, he caught nine passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Fantasy managers should not expect the same production for Week 1, as the tight end can be expected to be on a pitch count, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. With the additions to the 49ers' receiving room in Mike Evans, De'Zhaun Stribling, and Deebo Samuel Sr., Brock Purdy has plenty of options to throw to. Kittle ranks as RotoBaller's TE8 this week, but his usual ceiling will be hard to reach in light of the circumstances around him.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.4 | 31.8 | 0.2 |
Michael Mayer News
Saturday, September 12, 1:00 PM
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer played a limited role as a receiver in 2025, recording 35 catches for 328 yards and one touchdown on 50 targets across 13 games. However, with Raiders TE1 Brock Bowers (knee) sidelined, Mayer could step into an elevated target share in the Raiders' 2026 season opener against the Miami Dolphins. Across four games with Bowers inactive in 2025, Mayer recorded 18 catches for 196 yards and a touchdown on 24 targets. While his numbers may not leap off the page, Las Vegas should field an improved passing game with new head coach Klint Kubiak calling plays in 2026. The Dolphins also profile as a favorable matchup on paper for Mayer, as Miami allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends last season. All in all, Mayer projects as a low-end top-12 tight end option for fantasy managers in Week 1.
George Kittle vs. Michael Mayer
Still trying to decide between Kittle and Mayer? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that George Kittle is projected to score 10.3 points this week while Michael Mayer is projected to score 7.5 points.
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