Getty Troy Fumagalli with the Wisconsin Badgers.
When broke that George Kittle had suffered a “Grade 2” groin strain, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network, it sent San Francisco 49ers fans into disarray. Per Wilson, the team’s best offensive player is expected to miss Week 1 versus the Chicago Bears at minimum. Even with Charlie Woerner, Ross Dwelley and Tyler Kroft in place as the team’s TE2, TE3, and TE4, respectively, the absence of Kittle is a dark omen over Trey Lance’s third professional start.
Fortunately, despite having exceptional depth at the position, especially with Kyle Juszczyk capable of wearing multiple hats from snap to snap, John Lynch and company decided to add a little extra firepower to their tight end room and bring back Troy Fumagalli to the practice squad after eight days on the open market.
Will Fumagalli be active in Week 1? Only time will tell, but if the Niners want a little extra offensive oomph to replace Kittle’s receiving abilities, they called up the right man for the job.
Fumagalli Brings Big 10 Pedigree Back to the West Coast
Before Fumagalli was a fifth-round selection of the Denver Broncos in 2018, he was the offensive focal point of some really good Wisconsin Badgers teams in the mid-2010s. He surpassed the 500-yard mark on two separate occasions, in 2016 and 2017, and was able to amass seven total touchdowns despite playing in a notoriously run-heavy offense.
And yet, when Fumagalli’s time in Madison came to an end, his passing abilities weren’t called into question by teams and talent evaluators. No, scouts like Lance Zierlein questioned the left-handed tight end’s athletic abilities more than his experience or effort.
Combination tight end who makes up for his thin frame with determination and effort as a blocker. Fumagalli’s blocking showed improvement this year and he continued to be a consistent contributor as a pass catcher. He lacks athletic ability to consistently get open as a pass catcher, but he can poke holes in zone coverage and work himself free in play-action. Fumagalli could be targeted on day three by teams looking to add depth and competition for their two tight end sets.
So far, Zierlein‘s assumption has largely been correct, as Fumagalli only received 24 targets over his 19 games with the Broncos, but at this point, the 49ers aren’t looking for a full-time starter-in-waiting or even a developmental TE2 who can grow with the team long-term.
The 49ers Know What to Expect From Fumagalli
Though he rarely, if ever, caught passes from Lance during his initial three-month tenure with the 49ers, Fumagalli did earn a summer to fully immerse himself in Kyle Shanahan’s offensive and even logged snaps for the team during the preseason, catching four passes for 36 yards. Despite largely being utilized at the end of games, the Niners clearly saw something in Fumagalli they liked, and gave him a call when Kittle went down with a groin injury.
If San Francisco does need to call up the Wisconsin product from the practice squad, even if just for a game or two, Fumahalli’s on-field experience with the team should prove valuable, especially if another tight end finds himself on the mend or Kittle ends up on IR.