Who Should I Start? Jake Tonges or Zach Heins

Friday, April 18, 12:00 AM

The San Francisco 49ers announced on Thursday that tight end Jake Tonges and offensive lineman Austen Pleasants signed their one-year, exclusive-rights tenders. Both players will return to the Bay Area for the 2025 season. Tonges, 25, began his career with the Chicago Bears in 2022 and appeared in 16 games with the Niners in 2024 but was not used at all on offense on just 34 snaps. He'll make $1.03 million this year after re-signing. Instead, he played 232 snaps on special teams and had two solo tackles. The former undrafted free agent out of California will most likely serve in a similar role as a special-teams ace for San Fran in 2025. Pleasants, 27, started his career in 2021 with the Carolina Panthers and then played for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023 and with the Niners last year. He has appeared in just five NFL games over three seasons.

Thursday, July 11, 4:37 PM

Former South Dakota State University tight end Zach Heins signed with the Los Angeles Chargers after being unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft. After a slow start to his collegiate career, Heins caught 56 passes for 757 yards and 11 touchdowns over the last two seasons. With the Chargers, he's in one of the weaker tight end rooms in the NFL, and Daniel Popper of the Athletic believes he has a shot to make the 53-man roster following training camp. "Heins, out of South Dakota State, is over 6-foot-6 and 259 pounds. He projects as a capable inline blocker. The Chargers have been very clear about wanting to build a physical and imposing running game," Popper wrote. "To do that consistently, they need run blockers at tight end. They signed an elite run blocker in free agency in Will Dissly. But I think they need more run-blocking behind Dissly." It sounds like Heins won't be much of a pass-catcher if he makes the roster, but he should still be on the fantasy radar in ultra-deep leagues if he's active in Week 1. The Chargers could opt to carry four tight ends on game day, so he'll need to beat out one of Dissly, Hayden Hurst, Donald Parham Jr., or Stone Smartt.