Who Should I Start? Stephen Carlson or Jake Tonges

Saturday, September 28, 9:17 PM

The Chicago Bears placed tight end Stephen Carlson (collarbone) on injured reserve Saturday ahead of their Week 4 home matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Carlson, who was just signed from the team's practice squad this past Tuesday, suffered a serious collarbone injury during Thursday's practice and will now miss at least the next four contests. The earliest he is eligible to return will be Nov. 3 -- Chicago's Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. It's a crushing blow for the 27-year-old who was slated for his first NFL action since his time back in 2020 with the Cleveland Browns. The Bears will roll out their usual three-man tight-end rotation, with Cole Kmet set to take the majority of the snaps and Gerald Everett and Marcedes Lewis working in behind him.

Friday, January 2, 10:41 AM

San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges had a big game in Week 17, recording seven catches for 60 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. Tonges benefited from the absence of star 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle), who was sidelined by an ankle injury. Across the six games Kittle has missed this season, Tonges has racked up 29 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns on 40 targets. However, recent reporting indicates that Kittle is trending towards returning for the 49ers' Week 18 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Tonges has been far less productive across the 10 games where Kittle has been active in 2025, hauling in five receptions for 24 yards and two scores on just six targets. If Kittle is indeed active for Week 18, Tonges should be avoided by fantasy managers.