We are drafting Kittle as a mid-range starting tight end in the Round 6 or 7 range of most Fantasy drafts. Seven of Kittle's career-high 11 touchdowns came in the final four weeks of the regular season that Brock Purdy started. But there were also reasons to be concerned about Kittle's numbers with Purdy. He caught more than four passes just once in six games with Purdy and only topped 30 yards twice. Regardless of those concerns, we would be much more worried if Trey Lance was starting because of what that would do to the team's total pass volume. As long as you don't draft Kittle expecting him to match his peak performance from 2018 or 2019, you should be happy with the results.
49ers' George Kittle: Quiet game as teammates shine
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Kittle caught three of his five targets for 19 yards in Thursday's 31-13 win over the Seahawks.
Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey handled all of the scoring in Thursday's holiday victory, barely leaving any leftovers for San Francisco's remaining star on offense. Kittle is prone to these sporadic stinkers when the 49ers are operating at full strength, which has resulted in four games with less than 20 receiving yards this season. However, the unselfish superstar's recent four-game hot streak -- where he averaged 6.3 receptions and 108.0 yards -- is why managers should tolerate the occasional down game from the charismatic tight end. Kittle has responded with big receiving games following his previous two duds, and the 49ers may need him to repeat the feat against the Eagles on Dec. 2 in order to secure victory.
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49ers' George Kittle: Eight grabs including TD
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Kittle caught eight of nine targets for 89 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 27-14 win over the Buccaneers.
The veteran tight end led the 49ers in catches and snagged a three-yard score from Brock Purdy late in the third quarter for the team's final points of the day. Kittle is locked in right now, compiling a 25-432-2 line on 31 targets over the last four games, and in Week 12 he'll face a Seahawks defense that's given up plenty of yardage but only one receiving touchdown all year to TEs.
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49ers' George Kittle: Scores 66-yard TD in win
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Kittle caught three of four targets for 116 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 34-3 win over the Jaguars.
Kittle set the tone for the second half with a 66-yard touchdown catch in the first minute after halftime to give the 49ers a 20-3 lead. The standout tight end has 265 receiving yards across the two games sandwiching San Francisco's Week 9 bye. Kittle will look to stay hot in Week 11 against the Buccaneers.
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49ers' George Kittle: Career-best showing in loss
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Kittle brought in nine of 11 targets for 149 yards in the 49ers' 31-17 loss to the Bengals on Sunday.
The prolific tight end led the 49ers in receptions, receiving yards and targets on the afternoon, with all his figures also qualifying as season highs. Kittle has an abundant 18 targets over the last pair of contests, and his performance Sunday offered a vivid reminder of the upside he possesses when he's freed up to operate more as a receiver than blocker. Kittle and the 49ers return to action in a Week 10 road matchup against the Jaguars following a Week 9 bye.
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49ers' George Kittle: Strong effort in MNF loss
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Kittle had five receptions (on seven targets) for 78 yards while receiving his first carry of the season for two yards in Monday's 22-17 loss to Minnesota.
Kittle tried to help fill the offensive void left by Deebo Samuel's (shoulder) absence by impersonating the dual-threat superstar but instead wound up gaining just two yards on his first carry of the season. It was an otherwise strong performance from the 30-year-old after he recorded just one catch for one yard in last week's loss to Cleveland. With Samuel expected to miss multiple games at a minimum, Kittle figures to see more action as a receiver in the interim, starting with Sunday's matchup against Cincinnati.
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49ers' George Kittle: One catch in Week 6 loss
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Kittle caught one of two targets for one yard in Sunday's 19-17 loss to Cleveland.
Kittle failed to get involved as a pass catcher, even though key playmakers Christian McCaffrey (oblique) and Deebo Samuel (shoulder) both got hurt. Brock Purdy threw for just 125 yards in the defensive battle, and Brandon Aiyuk was the only member of the 49ers to exceed 30 receiving yards. Kittle will look to bounce back in prime time when the 49ers visit the Vikings on MNF in Week 7.
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49ers' George Kittle: Goes off for three TDs
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Kittle finished with three receptions on four targets for 67 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 42-10 win over the Cowboys.
All Kittle could do was score, taking each of his three receptions to the house against a Dallas defense that got exposed on national television. The 30-year-old entered the contest with zero touchdowns through four games, so Sunday's scoring binge was a welcome one following his second consecutive slow start in fantasy. This also serves as a general reminder to stick with your top guys early in the schedule, especially with players as talented as Kittle. The star tight end will look to carry this momentum into next Sunday's tilt against Cleveland.
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49ers' George Kittle: TEs to Sit
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Kittle had 16 PPR points in Week 3 against the Giants. In his other three games, Kittle has combined for 12.8 PPR points, and there's a reason for it. Brandon Aiyuk missed the Giants game with an injured shoulder, and Kittle has been the forgotten man when all the main 49ers are active with Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey. Kittle had nine targets against the Giants, and he combined for 10 targets in his other three outings. Also, going back to last year, the Cowboys have allowed just one touchdown to a tight end in their past 21 games. It's hard to bench Kittle in most leagues, but he's just a low-end starter in Week 5 as long as everyone is healthy for San Francisco.
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49ers' George Kittle: Helps run game in comfortable win
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Kittle caught his lone target for nine yards in Sunday's 35-16 win over the Cardinals.
Kittle was unable to build off of his strong Week 3 performance (7-90-0), instead receiving just one target in a game dominated by Christian McCaffrey and the ground game. Kittle selflessly acted as a sixth offensive lineman to help his team to victory, but it resulted in another down fantasy game. The charismatic tight end got off to a similarly slow start last year before rattling off 11 touchdowns over his remaining 11 games. Kittle's fantasy managers are hoping for that kind of turnaround when the 49ers and Cowboys are featured on Sunday Night Football in Week 5.
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49ers' George Kittle: Best game of season Thursday
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Kittle secured seven of nine targets for 90 yards in the 49ers' 30-12 win over the Giants on Thursday night.
Kittle exceeded the combined 6-49 line he'd posted over the first two games in Thursday night's double-digit win, finishing second to Deebo Samuel in receiving yards and targets while pacing the 49ers in receptions. The dynamic tight end also recorded his longest gain of the young season on a 29-yard grab on the last play of the third quarter. Kittle's boost in production was almost certainly a byproduct of Brandon Aiyuk's absence due to a shoulder injury, but the veteran pass catcher should still carry bright fantasy prospects into a Week 4 home matchup on Sunday, Oct. 1 against a Cardinals team that's had trouble defending his position early this season.
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49ers' George Kittle: Slow start to 2023
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Kittle hauled in all three of his targets for 30 yards in Sunday's 30-23 win over the Rams.
Kittle was held to three receptions for the second straight week, failing to score a touchdown in either contest. The star tight end got off to a similarly slow start in 2022 after returning from a groin injury before improving later in the season, so better days should be ahead if he follows that same timeline. Kittle's fantasy managers should maintain faith after two down games in hopes that he can finally pop off one of his signature big plays against the Giants on Thursday.
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49ers' George Kittle: Just three catches in win
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Kittle (groin) caught three of six targets for 19 yards in Sunday's 30-7 win over the Steelers.
Kittle made an early impact with an 11-yard catch to convert on 4th-and-1 on San Francisco's first possession, but he and Deebo Samuel (63 scrimmage yards) were comparatively quiet while Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk combined for 298 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. The talented tight end is sometimes asked to take a back seat in a stacked San Francisco offense with many mouths to feed, but Kittle finished the 2022 season with seven touchdowns over the final four games, showcasing his immense upside. After having his practice reps capped heading into Week 1 due to a groin injury, Kittle will look to play a larger role against the Rams in Week 2. He found the end zone in both games versus Los Angeles last season.
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49ers' George Kittle: Cleared for Week 1 action
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Kittle (groin) is active for Sunday's game against the Steelers.
A groin injury limited Kittle's practice participation from Wednesday through Friday and resulted in him carrying a questionable tag into the season opener, but as anticipated, the standout tight end has been cleared to play Sunday. No reports have indicated that Kittle's snaps will be limited against the Steelers, so expect him to maintain an integral role in the 49ers' passing game while also serving as a key blocker for the team's ground attack.
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49ers' George Kittle: Likely to play in opener
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Kittle (groin), who is listed as questionable, is expected to suit up for Sunday's road matchup against the Steelers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Official word on Kittle's status will arrive when the 49ers release their inactive list 90 minutes prior to the 1 p.m. ET kickoff, but assuming Kittle gets the green light to play, he's expected to be on the field to give Brock Purdy a full assortment of offensive weapons. If Kittle is limited in any capacity, though, it could result in a small uptick in targets for Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey.
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49ers' George Kittle: Questionable for Week 1
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Kittle (groin) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Pittsburgh, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
The tight end has been limited at practice this week and could end up a game-time decision ahead of the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff this Sunday. The 49ers have Charlie Woerner, Ross Dwelley and Brayden Willis for TE depth, but in fantasy terms there's more interest in how Kittle's potential absence (or reduced playing time) might push more targets towards WRs Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel and RB Christian McCaffrey.
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49ers' George Kittle: Another limited session
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Kittle (groin) practiced on a limited basis Thursday, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
Kittle has been dealing with an adductor strain since Aug. 10 that still may be lingering because he played 12 offensive snaps during the 49ers' preseason finale on Aug. 25. In any case, he's been able to manage back-to-back capped sessions to begin Week 1 prep, and the team may clarify his status for Sunday's game at Pittsburgh upon the release of Friday's injury report.
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49ers' George Kittle: Remains limited by groin
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Kittle was a limited practice participant Wednesday due to a groin injury, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Kittle continues to tend to the adductor strain that has plagued him since Aug. 10, which still may be lingering because he logged 12 offensive snaps in the 49ers' preseason finale on Aug. 25. He'll now aim to get back to full practice activity by Friday, but if he doesn't, he seems poised to enter the weekend with an injury designation ahead of Sunday's season opener at Pittsburgh.
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49ers' George Kittle: Limited to side work
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Kittle (undisclosed) is working off to the side during Monday's practice, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Kittle had an adductor strain in mid-August and was determined to need more rest after making a brief appearance in the 49ers' final preseason game. Coach Kyle Shanahan said last week that he expected the tight end to resume practicing this week, with a return to individual work Monday marking a step in the right direction. The team won't post an official injury report until Wednesday, four days before the 49ers start their season in Pittsburgh against a star-studded Steelers defense.
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49ers' George Kittle: Held without a catch
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Kittle finished without a catch on one target in Friday's preseason game against the Chargers.
Kittle and the starters played a couple drives and moved the ball with ease against Los Angeles' second-stringers. The tight end's only target was uncatchable, but he nonetheless proved his health after battling a groin injury earlier this summer. Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey provide QB Brock Purdy with a fantastic group of pass catchers heading into a tricky Week 1 matchup at Pittsburgh.
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49ers' George Kittle: Suiting up Friday
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Kittle (groin) is in uniform ahead of Friday's preseason game against the Chargers, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
With starting quarterback Brock Purdy expected to get some run in the 49ers' exhibition finale, he'll welcome back the team's top tight end for the first time this preseason. Kittle has been dealing with an adductor strain since Aug. 10, but he was able to mix into drills Monday and now will be available to San Francisco's offense along with wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
