Who Should I Start? Jake Tonges or John Stephens Jr.

Tuesday, October 14, 10:25 AM

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges has done a great job filling in for George Kittle (hamstring), who is still on IR and has not had his practice window opened yet. Tonges grabbed a season-high seven catches for 41 yards and a touchdown in Week 5's overtime win and followed that up with six catches for 58 yards in Week 6's loss to the Bucs. With so many receiver injuries, Tonges could stay involved even after Kittle returns, but at least until then, he's a strong option to snag from the waiver wire if you need help at tight end. The Niners host the Falcons on Sunday Night Football this week before going on the road for games in Houston and New York. When Kittle returns, Tonges' playing time and value will be much shakier, but keep a close eye on the team's practice reports to see if Tonges will get at least one more week of filling in and being fantasy relevant.

Thursday, October 24, 2:50 PM

Dallas Cowboys tight end John Stephens Jr. (knee) will miss the rest of the 2024 season after suffering a torn ACL during Wednesday's practice, according to NFL.com. The second-year undrafted free agent out of Louisiana has been with Dallas since the 2023 offseason but has not logged any stats. This injury is not consequential for fantasy football, but it depletes depth behind tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker.