Who Should I Start? Stephen Carlson or Jake Tonges

Saturday, May 9, 5:49 AM

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges had not recorded a single reception through his first three years in the league, but when called to action in place of an injured George Kittle, he answered the bell in 2025. In the seven regular-season games that Kittle either missed entirely or left due to injury, Tonges averaged 40.6 receiving yards while scoring four touchdowns and turning in five top-12 fantasy finishes. With Kittle tearing his Achilles in a Wild Card win over the Eagles and his status in doubt for the start of the 2026 season, Tonges is a must-roster player for all Kittle dynasty managers. While most such managers have already acquired him, those who have not are doing themselves a disservice. Because he offers little standalone value when Kittle is healthy (he registered only 1.0 Half-PPR points per game in contests started and finished by Kittle), Tonges' value is exponentially higher to Kittle's managers than anyone else, making him an easy player to deal for without breaking the bank. With San Francisco adding veteran receiver Mike Evans through free agency, Tonges' situational ceiling will likely be lower in 2026, but at RotoBaller's dynasty TE36, he still offers enough in the way of a red zone threat to serve as an emergency streamer until Kittle is back to full health.