GeorgeKittle

News: 3 days agoKittle brought in eight of 10 targets for 88 yards and lost a fumble in the 49ers' 29-20 loss to the Falcons on Sunday.

Spin: Kittle led the 49ers across the board in receptions, receiving yards and targets on an afternoon in which the team was down Mike Evans (Achilles) and Deebo Samuel (hamstring), and in which Christian McCaffrey missed the entire second quarter due to a quadriceps injury. All three components of the veteran tight end's receiving line were also season-best figures, but Kittle's lost fumble at the Falcons' 19-yard line with 57 seconds remaining following a 22-yard catch snuffed out any hope of a comeback for the Niners. Despite the unsavory conclusion to Sunday's game, Kittle will remain a key target for Brock Purdy in a Week 9 home matchup against the Raiders on Sunday, Nov. 8, following a Week 8 bye.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Kittle is undoubtedly among the best tight ends in the NFL and fantasy, but he simply can't dodge the injury bug. The 2017 fifth-round pick has played one full season (2018) and tore an Achilles in the team's wild-card victory after missing six regular-season games last season. Kittle may be ready for Week 1 and isn't expected to miss more than a game or two, though he's now 32 years old and might not be his usual, dominant self even when he returns. Kittle has finished sixth or better in fantasy PPG in each of the past eight seasons (including first in 2024), so his upside makes him worth a late-round flier.