Getty San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle
When the San Francisco 49ers were forced to replace Jimmy Garoppolo with C.J. Beathard after the quarterback suffered a torn ACL, it meant a few things. One was that the 49ers season outlook got very bleak. Beyond that, it meant most fantasy football owners were likely going to stray away from the team moving forward.
But while the 49ers certainly aren’t the same team with Beathard under center, one player who’s benefitted from a production standpoint is tight end, George Kittle. Over the past two games, the 25-year-old has caught 11-of-15 targets for 208 yards and one touchdown. While Kittle has shown plenty of upside throughout his young career, he’s been a go-to option for Beathard thus far.
And with a primetime matchup against the Green Bay Packers on tap in Week 6, fantasy owners are likely trying to decide whether to start or sit the tight end. And although the situation isn’t ideal, there’s a case to be made for Kittle moving forward.
Key Stats and George Kittle’s Fantasy Outlook
I’ll break down matchup as well as recent production before offering up the start/sit advice on the 49ers tight end. All information on fantasy points and statistics for defense vs. position are from ESPN.
- Green Bay Packers vs. tight ends in 2018: 24 receptions, 308 yards, zero touchdowns (No. 13 fewest fantasy points per game)
- Kittle has played 83 and 89 percent of the 49ers’ offensive snaps in the past two games, per Football Outsiders
- Kittle led the team in targets in Week 4, while tying for third-most in Week 5, but totaled the most receiving yards in both games
Surprisingly, Kittle’s fantasy outlook looks safe. In Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, his 125 yards were 73 more than the next-closest player (Pierre Garcon). It’s obvious Beathard feels comfortable with Kittle, which is a big deal.
Should You Start or Sit George Kittle?
I actually am fine using Kittle across the board in all fantasy leagues with 12 teams or more this week. Although the Packers haven’t allowed a touchdown to an opposing tight end this season, they’ve given up plenty of yards to make him worth a play. You can even justify using Kittle in 10-team leagues if your starting tight end is on a bye, or if you just typically play the position by ear on a week-by-week basis.
Overall, Kittle gets the nod as a start for me in Week 6. The Packers should score plenty of points and you can do much worse than the top target on an offense who’ll be playing catchup.
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