Even with a long injury history, George Kittle is usually an easy click in fantasy football. Over the last nine seasons, the San Francisco 49ers tight end usually misses a couple games but rewards the patience with TE1 returns. Very few players at the position have ever had Kittle's ceiling on a week-to-week basis; he can win you a matchup.
But this year, the button is getting harder to click. Kittle is coming off the worst injury of his career, a torn Achilles tendon suffered in a January playoff game, and we don't know when he'll be cleared to return to game action. It doesn't help that he plays on a team riddled with injuries, or that he turns 33 in October, or that a torn Achilles has historically zapped explosiveness (though players have
been coming back from the injury more quickly in recent years).
Of course, these questions are baked into Kittle's draft price. Instead of paying top-three TE prices like in years past, you can usually draft Kittle as the 8th-10th TE in the 7th or 8th round. For that price, he just might be worth it.
Should you draft George Kittle?
As with the answers to many fantasy football draft questions, it all depends on the round. If you're in a league with a bunch of 49ers fans and/or people who don't fear Achilles injuries, taking Kittle in the 5th or 6th round might end up being a reach. There will be a lot of starting-caliber WRs available in those rounds, and if you're dying to draft an old tight end, Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews should be available later on.
But if your league doesn't have a run on tight ends and Kittle is available in the 7th or 8th round, he's the kind of player you should pick in the second half of drafts. The 49ers are already dealing with injuries to their wide receivers, and Kittle's upside in the latter half of the season could be enormous.
If you play with short benches or don't have an IR slot just in case Kittle's recovery takes longer than expected, go for someone like Sam LaPorta a round earlier or Isaiah Likely a round later. But if you have some flexibility, take Kittle and then a relatively safe tight end late like Chig Okonkwo or Juwan Johnson.
Fantasy football tight end rankings
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Should you draft 49ers TE George Kittle in fantasy football this year?
