Davis Mattek is largely avoiding George Kittle at his 3/4-turn ADP, arguing the 49ers’ tight end is penalized by DraftKings’ scoring. Even in a "nutted" season Kittle probably tops out around 80 receptions, so his fantasy profile leans on touchdowns rather than volume—exactly the opposite of what a full-point PPR, 100-yard-bonus site rewards. With Deebo Samuel back healthy and Christian McCaffrey commanding red-zone usage, Mattek doubts Kittle can pay off his price tag relative to similarly priced wideouts or to mid-tier tight ends like Dallas Goedert and David Njoku who project for more catches. He still sprinkles in shares for correlation but says Kittle is "not a core part of my strategy."

Zachariason said he is light on George Kittle shares because DraftKings’ full-PPR rules and 100-yard bonuses punish a tight end who lives on efficiency and touchdowns. Even in a "really good" season Kittle probably tops out around 80 receptions, which trails peers McBride and Bowers by a sizable margin. Without a 110-catch path, Kittle’s weekly ceiling becomes touchdown-dependent—exactly the profile Zachariason wants to avoid at a three-four turn price when those scores can just as easily land on Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk in Kyle Shanahan’s spread-it-around offense. He still sprinkles Kittle but says the veteran is “nowhere near a core piece” of his 2024 best-ball portfolio.

Dwain McFarland called George Kittle his favorite early-round tight end for 2025 at a Round 4 price tag. With Brandon Aiyuk rehabbing an ACL tear, Deebo Samuel gone, and rookie Ricky Pearsall plus Jauan Jennings unproven behind him, McFarland expects Kittle to retain a 22%-plus target share. Kittle already reminded managers of his ceiling last year, leading all TEs with 15.8 PPG and posting a 2.62 yards-per-route-run—right in line with peak seasons (2.82 in 2018, 3.12 in 2019, 2.84 in 2020). His down-field role remains intact (aDOT 9.9 and 8.9 the past two seasons), and Brock Purdy’s 268/258 passing-yard averages show the volume is there. Kyle Shanahan’s scheme ranks second in motion (64%) and two-WR sets (39%), plus Kittle saw 32% of his 2024 targets off play-action, boosting touchdown equity. Age places him behind Brock Bowers and Trey McBride in dynasty, but McFarland believes Kittle offers the most immediate upside at the position and should be the priority pick for redraft and early best-ball tournaments.

Best Ball Guy said he loaded up on George Kittle when the 49ers tight end sat in the fifth round and even kept clicking in the fourth. But after another Jauan Jennings calf setback and public recognition of San Francisco’s cakewalk schedule, the market has rocketed Kittle into the mid-third. Best Ball Guy thinks that jump fully prices in the upside and removes the profit margin. Unless Kittle falls back to Round 4, he prefers to pivot to Travis Kelce/Mark Andrews or wait for middling options like Evan Engram, arguing the new sticker price leaves little room for error.

Erik Beimfohr said drafters are sleeping on George Kittle’s unique blend of weekly floor and nuclear-week ceiling at his current 4-5 turn ADP. 
He laid out how every offseason data point funnels targets Kittle’s way: Brandon Aiyuk is rehabbing an ACL, Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing are already battling soft-tissue injuries, Jauan Jennings is focused on a contract extension, and the rest of the receiver room is replacement-level. With Christian McCaffrey pushing 29 and coming off a near-lost 2024, San Francisco is unlikely to “build the plane” around the aging runner, leaving Kittle as the most reliable pass-game option. 
Beimfohr backed it up with 2024 production metrics tracked by Spike Week: • 3 nuclear weeks (top-3 among TEs, 20 % of his games) • 9 spike weeks total, meaning Kittle posted a spike in 60 % of his outings • only 3 duds all season, tied with Trey McBride for the fewest at the position • 12 usable weeks, providing a floor that previously eluded him. 
That profile gave managers advance-rate juice during the regular season while still delivering the monster playoff upside best-ball formats crave. Because Brock Bowers and Trey McBride now go a full round earlier, Beimfohr is jamming Kittle whenever he’s on the board after pick 40, calling him "the cleanest path to capturing 49ers upside" and an easy leverage point on rooms chasing the trendier elite TEs.

Erik Beimfohr argued that every off-season data point funnels extra volume toward George Kittle and that drafters should react by nudging him up their tight-end boards. Brandon Aiyuk is rehabbing an ACL tear and was "not very good" before the injury, rookie Ricky Pearsall has already missed early-camp sessions, and Jauan Jennings is practicing but clearly focused on a contract extension. Christian McCaffrey is 28, coming off a near-lost season, and the 49ers front office appears intent on preserving him rather than leaning on 400 touches again. When you layer in San Francisco’s league-easiest schedule—only New England’s projects lighter—Beimfohr sees Kyle Shanahan funnelling high-efficiency middle-of-the-field looks to his healthiest star. He teased forthcoming best-ball-specific stats but noted Kittle already led all tight ends in yards per target last season and owns the kind of week-winning ceiling that destroys playoff brackets when the usage spikes. In Beimfohr’s view, rising uncertainty around every non-Kittle skill player makes him the cleanest path to capturing 49ers upside at his current Round-5/6 price.

Erik Beimfohr said George Kittle is the true skeleton key to 49ers stacks and a screaming value at the 3/4 turn. He rattled off Kittle’s 2024 resume: three nuclear weeks (tied for most at the position), nine spike weeks, and 12 usable weeks—so 60 % of his outings beat the field while only three were duds, matching Trey McBride for the fewest. Beimfohr stressed that every other San Francisco pass-catcher carries baggage—Brandon Aiyuk is coming off an ACL, rookie Ricky Pearsall is already nursing a hamstring, Jauan Jennings wants a new contract, and depth names like Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, and Demarcus Robinson inspire little confidence. With Christian McCaffrey another year older and the defense projected to slip, he expects Shanahan to again funnel targets through Kittle, providing both weekly floor and 30-point upside. The combination of league-leading spike-rate and a cheaper ADP than Trey McBride or Brock Bowers makes Kittle a priority Best Ball click; Beimfohr is actively upping exposure whenever he’s available in the fourth or even the 4/5 pocket.

Mike Wright pivoted to the Brock Purdy–George Kittle stack after the Justin Fields injury scare. Kittle is one of the crew’s favorite overall picks, sitting in the 4th round and perhaps sneaking into the late 3rd, while Purdy can be scooped in the 10th. Wright reminded listeners that Purdy has flashed an elite touchdown-per-attempt rate in previous stretches, and pairing that with Kittle’s perennially high efficiency could return far more value than the modest draft capital required.

Dwain McFarland said George Kittle is his favorite early-round tight end target for 2025 at a Round 4 draft cost. McFarland expects Kittle’s target share to spike because Brandon Aiyuk is rehabbing a mid-season ACL tear, Deebo Samuel left in free agency, and rookie Ricky Pearsall plus Jauan Jennings are unproven behind him. When similar circumstances hit late last year, Kittle paced all TEs with 15.8 fantasy PPG (16.6 if you toss out a limited Week 18) on a 22 % target share. He also flashed vintage efficiency, posting 2.62 yards per route run—right in line with earlier peak seasons (2.82 in 2018, 3.12 in 2019, 2.84 in 2020). McFarland noted that Brock Purdy averaged 268 and 258 passing yards the past two seasons and Kyle Shanahan’s offense ranks second in motion usage (64 %) and two-WR sets (39 %), schemes that funnel throws to the tight end. Thirty-two percent of Kittle’s 2024 targets already came off play-action, boosting his down-field aDOTs (9.9 and 8.9 the last two years) and red-zone ceiling. McFarland concedes Kittle’s age keeps him below Brock Bowers and Trey McBride in his tiers, but argues the reduced target competition plus proven big-play ability give Kittle the highest week-winning upside among early-round TEs.

Tom Strachan said he is ‘completely comfortable’ with George Kittle at the TE3 ADP because the 49ers’ passing attack should funnel through him. Without Deebo Samuel, many of the near-line-of-scrimmage targets that kept the offense on schedule are vacated, and Brock Purdy is willing to push the ball downfield to Kittle for splash plays. Strachan doubts the depth behind Kittle—Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall and an injured Brandon Aiyuk—can consistently command volume, and if Mike Clay is right about San Francisco fielding the league’s 32nd-ranked defense, a projected spike in neutral pass rate only boosts Kittle’s weekly ceiling.

Jason Moore called George Kittle "the best pick in the draft" given San Francisco’s current roster dynamics. With Deebo Samuel gone, Elijah Mitchell released, and multiple wideouts already banged up, Moore believes Kittle’s target share will spike in an offense Vegas has pegged for a top-three scoring output and the league’s easiest slate. He advised passing on Brock Bowers and Trey McBride in the late-third to early-fourth round and instead gambling that Kittle slips, because he’s the one tight end whose role is absolutely mandatory for Kyle Shanahan’s game plan—especially if the defense’s offseason attrition forces more shootouts. Moore conceded you may have to hold your breath while waiting, but said the potential to land a locked-in top-three tight end a round later than his peers makes Kittle a smash in season-long and best-ball formats.

Jon Warner said he is "vaulting Kittle up" his personal board, arguing that Brandon Aiyuk’s indefinite knee timeline funnels even more of Brock Purdy’s intermediate targets toward Kittle. Warner is comfortable treating Kittle as part of the elite-tight-end cohort in the Brawl, noting that the 49ers already schemed a 22-percent red-zone target share for him last year and have yet to add another proven pass-catcher. In Warner’s view, the combo of Aiyuk uncertainty, an already condensed offense, and Kittle’s proven week-winning upside (four top-5 TE weeks in 2023) justifies paying the new sticker price, especially in a format that rewards isolated spike weeks.

Nez said he is “pretty much full-fading” George Kittle in the Badge Bros Brawl. Kittle’s ADP has spiked on the back of Brandon Aiyuk’s injury news and a perceived tier break after Trey McBride, but Nez thinks the cost leap is unjustified in a 12-round contest where every pick carries heightened opportunity cost. He prefers grabbing Brock Bowers or waiting to scoop three late tight ends that either correlate with his stacks or simply possess wider range-of-outcome profiles. In Nez’s view, paying a third-round tag for a tight end who averaged just 22% target share last year and relies on post-catch efficiency is bad portfolio management when roster spots are scarce.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound smashed George Kittle at pick 46 and celebrated getting what he called "that old-school price." Earlier in the offseason Kittle rarely slipped out of the late-30s, so catching him in the mid-40s represents nearly a full-round discount. Pat believes scooping Kittle whenever he dips into that range lets drafters lock in a proven, week-winning tight end while freeing earlier capital for wide-receiver swings. His thesis is simple: elite TE production at a fourth-round cost tilts roster construction in your favor and still leaves plenty of ceiling for the rest of the build.

Josh Norris said George Kittle can realistically finish as the overall TE1 and provide a Travis-Kelce-style weekly edge at a Round-4 price. Kittle historically erupts whenever Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel are off the field, and the 49ers enter 2024 with both receivers carrying major question marks—Aiyuk is still rehabbing last season’s ACL tear, Jauan Jennings is stuck in a contract dispute, and first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall is an unknown. That leaves Kittle as the favorite to lead the team in targets. He already spiked eight touchdowns in 2023 despite a full skill group; Norris projected 12-plus scores if that target vacuum materializes. Christian McCaffrey’s presence forces defenses into single-high looks roughly 10 percentage points more often, opening the middle of the field that Kittle feasts on. San Francisco frequently layers routes with CMC shallow and Kittle deeper, forcing safeties to pick their poison and creating seam shots that Brock Purdy converts at a league-leading 9.6 YPA. Norris sees a plausible 1,100-yard, 12-TD campaign that would rival Bowers at a two-round discount, making Kittle a smash in both best-ball and season-long drafts.

Harris labeled Kittle’s TE3 ADP (51st overall) “excellent value.” Kittle posted 78-1,106-8, averaged a position-best 15.8 PPR points per game, and delivered seven 20-point outings plus a 30-pointer in Week 17. With Deebo Samuel traded, Brandon Aiyuk returning from injury, and Christian McCaffrey’s health in question, Harris expects Kittle’s target share to stay robust. Four 1,000-yard seasons and six top-5 finishes in any year he’s played 14+ games cement the floor, while his weekly ceiling matches the elites without their price.

Davis Mattek said he is still happy drafting George Kittle in both best-ball and season-long despite Kittle’s ADP climbing into the fourth round. Mattek’s core argument is that the market is underestimating how steep the fall-off is after the ’big three’ tight ends (Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews, George Kittle). He believes the next cluster—Dallas Goedert, Dalton Kincaid, Sam LaPorta—are being priced as if they project only a point or two behind Kittle when, in his model, the gap is materially wider. Because that projection delta is larger than the current ADP spread, Mattek views Kittle as a relative value and is comfortable being overweight even in full-PPR formats where other managers gravitate toward volume-based options.

JJ Zachariason warned that George Kittle’s rising ADP into the mid-fourth round has erased his margin for error. Kittle’s weekly ceiling still hinges on touchdowns because the 49ers’ target tree caps him at roughly 4.5 catches per game even in a best-case scenario. Zachariason noted that a season of 11–12 scores might still not beat Trey McBride straight up in full-PPR, bonus-heavy DraftKings scoring. With Breece Hall, DeVonta Smith and other high-volume options available in the same pocket, Zachariason would rather pass on Kittle unless he falls back to the fifth where he was going a month ago.

Matthew Wiley said he would start George Kittle over Travis Kelce and Sam LaPorta this season after watching Kittle up close at a celebrity golf event. Wiley noted the 49ers star looked “twice the size” of a professional wrestler and spends "so much money taking care of his body," evidence that the veteran’s off-season regimen has him in peak condition. Calling Kittle the NFL’s best all-around tight end, Wiley trusts that elite blocking will keep him on the field for every snap while Brock Purdy continues to grow as a passer. Wiley projected roughly 1,000 yards and reiterated that Kittle’s every-down usage plus red-zone chops make his late-Round-4 DraftKings Best Ball price a steal relative to Kelce’s age decline risk and LaPorta’s second-year uncertainty.

Raymond Summerlin said George Kittle is slipping far enough in early best-ball drafts that he becomes a smash selection in the mid-third round. Summerlin argued there is “a significant drop-off after Kittle,” noting that he represents the back end of the first tight-end tier while still going five-plus picks later than Mark Andrews and Sam LaPorta. That gap matters when you are drafting from the back half of Round 3 because locking up Kittle there lets you dodge the unproven or volume-capped options that follow. Summerlin likes pairing Kittle’s spike-week profile—he posted four 20-plus-point games last year—with the 49ers’ league-leading 0.46 EPA per play passing attack, giving drafters elite TE upside without spending second-round capital.

Danny Kelley positioned George Kittle as the perfect fallback for managers who skip Brock Bowers and Trey McBride. Kittle has finished top-5 in points per game seven straight seasons and has lethal chemistry with Brock Purdy—20 TDs in Purdy’s 36 starts. San Francisco signed Luke Farrell to soak up inline snaps, freeing Kittle to run more routes. With Deebo Samuel traded and Brandon Aiyuk a PUP candidate, Kelley expects Kittle’s target share to rise from 17% to ‘north of 20’. He reminded listeners that early-career Kittle posted 800 yards after the catch in a season and still breaks tackles at an elite rate. The combination of vacated targets, YAC prowess, and Purdy’s red-zone trust makes Kittle an undervalued ceiling play in the 6th-round range of Best-Ball and Season-Long drafts.

Jake Ciely called George Kittle the single best tight-end value on the board, noting that Bowers and McBride are going a full round and two rounds earlier, respectively, despite projecting in the same tier. Ciely ranks Kittle TE3 and emphasized that the difference between the trio is razor-thin. He expects Kittle’s target share to spike if Aiyuk’s hamstring lingers and pointed to the 49ers’ league-leading red-zone pass rate over expectation inside the five-yard line as a sneaky touchdown booster. Given Kittle’s proven week-winning ceiling (four 20-plus PPR games last season) and discounted ADP, Ciely said he will "have so many shares" and urged drafters to scoop him whenever he slides past Round 6.

Jon Warner argued that George Kittle might be the single most important pick in Underdog’s Eliminator. Warner noted that San Francisco’s wide-receiver room is suddenly shaky—Brandon Aiyuk is squabbling over an extension and depth options like Jauan Jennings are mired in contract noise—so Brock Purdy could lean on Kittle early. Unlike Trey McBride, Brock Bowers, and Sam LaPorta, Kittle carries a Week 14 bye, meaning he is available for the high-elimination Weeks 7–13 stretch when many rivals will be sweating missing tight-end points. Warner emphasized that Kittle’s ceiling is proven—five career 25-plus–point weeks—and yet he costs a fourth-round pick, two full rounds cheaper than Bowers. Because Eliminator rewards steady weekly production rather than single playoff spikes, Warner thinks Kittle’s blend of monster ceiling and late bye makes him a leverage play against the field’s obsession with drafting two early tight ends who share the same week off.

Colm Kelly targeted George Kittle if he slid to the middle of Round 4, calling it a perfect sweet spot in a non-TE-premium format. Kittle generally goes three picks later than their slot, so Colm framed him as a small ADP win that unlocks multiple construction paths: you secure elite tight-end production early enough to stop at two TEs, yet you avoided spending Rounds 2-3 capital that could have gone to wide receivers. Snagging him also opens a cheap San Francisco stack; Colm immediately queued Jauan Jennings and later-round 49ers options, noting that Week 17 correlation comes almost for free once Kittle is on the roster.

Kevin Szafraniec argued George Kittle is mis-priced, stating he "should be going at least two rounds earlier" in non-tight-end-premium formats. He believes drafters incorrectly lump Kittle into the middle tier, even though Kittle’s ceiling is closer to Brock Bowers and Trey McBride. With Brandon Aiyuk rehabbing, Kevin expects early-season targets to flow through Kittle, making him a bargain at current cost.

Colm Kelly wanted to grab rookie WR Tett McMillan in Round 3 and circle back to George Kittle in early Round 4 because the pair gives you Week 17 49ers-Cardinals correlation without sacrificing ADP value. Kittle usually lasts three picks past their slot, making the double tap doable even on a 20-second clock. Kelly noted that because BBM is not TE premium, he prefers loading up on wideouts first, then adding an elite tight end once the WR pool flattens. Landing Kittle there unlocks multiple San Francisco bring-back options (e.g., Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall) and keeps roster construction flexible the rest of the way.

Pat Kerrane said George Kittle’s ADP never made sense—he opened the summer in the late-fifth despite coming off his best season since 2019. San Francisco’s defense lost talent, Brock Purdy just delivered the most efficient campaign of his career, and Kyle Shanahan quietly nudged pass rate higher, all of which point to more shootouts and target volume. Even after climbing into the mid-fourth, Kittle remains a value relative to teammates: Christian McCaffrey slipped to the 1-2 turn, while Brandon Aiyuk and an injured Deebo Samuel now go multiple rounds later than 2023. Kerrane still holds 23 % exposure, calling Kittle the rare tight end who combines weekly 100-yard spike potential with a sturdy yardage floor—ideal for Best Ball tournament structures.

Calling him “Mr. Consistent,” Harris loves George Kittle at TE3, Pick 51. Kittle logged 78-1106-8 and led the position in points per game (15.8), erupting for seven 20-plus-point outings and a 30-point Week-17 nuclear game. With Deebo Samuel traded, Brandon Aiyuk returning from injury, and Christian McCaffrey facing recovery questions, Harris believes Kittle’s target share could climb. Four career 1,000-yard seasons and proven spike weeks make the fifth-round price a smash in best-ball builds.

Jagger May said George Kittle is the lone tight end worth drafting if you miss on Trey McBride or Brock Bowers. With Deebo Samuel gone, the 49ers must redistribute 23% of their targets, and Kittle is the most efficient option to soak them up. May believes the combination of higher volume and Kittle’s yards-after-catch prowess can vault him into the same weekly ceiling tier as the elite two, whereas every other tight end is a tier below and not worth the cost.

Billy Jones said he "needs a ton more" George Kittle because the veteran tight end now slides into the late-60s/early-70s ADP range, making him the last name in what Billy calls the true elite tier. With drafters souring on early tight ends after two straight flop seasons, Kittle offers a rare 25-plus point ceiling at a fraction of the cost of Brock Bowers or Trey McBride. Billy stressed that when elite tight ends hit, they can add 15-20 points of leverage over the replacement-level six-to-eight-point scores opponents are getting, a swing that can decide Best Ball Mania playoff weeks. Grabbing Kittle also lets drafters stop at two tight ends and funnel the saved pick capital back into wide receivers.

Erik Beimfohr argued that George Kittle is egregiously under-drafted at the 4/5 turn. Managers got burned fading him last year—he finished as the TE2 and delivered the Week-17 nuke that won multiple finals—yet he is cheaper despite Deebo Samuel being traded and Brandon Aiyuk expected to miss time with a hamstring strain. Kittle’s target rate jumps to 25% when either receiver sits, and the 49ers project for a top-three implied total in 11 of 17 weeks. Beimfohr said drafters should treat Kittle as a mini-Travis Kelce who comes at a three-round discount, making him an ideal one-tight-end bet in best-ball tournaments.

Erik Beimfohr drew a line in the 2025 sand: Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, and George Kittle make up a clear 'big three' at tight end. Kittle’s 2.26 yards per route last year trailed only Travis Kelce, and his 31% first-read target rate shows he’s still the centerpiece of Kyle Shanahan’s aerial attack. Beimfohr expects San Francisco to throw even more after keeping both Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel while losing fullback Kyle Juszczyk—their run-game chess piece. Brock Purdy already posted league-best 9.6 adjusted YPA, so Kittle’s spike-week ceiling remains unmatched by late-round dart throws. Beimfohr is happy to snag Kittle a half-round ahead of ADP to diversify builds that would otherwise hold McBride or Bowers, ensuring he stays overweight on what he views as the only three true difference-makers at the position.

Peter Overzet said George Kittle remains criminally discounted in Best Ball drafts after Underdog posted an 899.5-yard receiving prop and a 6.5-TD line. The book pegs Kittle for the exact same yardage as Trey McBride and Zay Flowers, yet drafters must spend a 3rd-round pick on McBride, a 4th on Flowers, while Kittle frequently slips into Round 5. Overzet highlighted that Kittle carries the best touchdown expectation of the trio—one full score higher than Flowers and two higher than McBride—thanks to his long-standing red-zone chemistry with Brock Purdy and San Francisco’s league-leading play-action rate. With the 49ers returning every offensive line starter and Brandon Aiyuk’s contract status still unresolved, Pete expects Kittle’s target share to hold steady or improve. His personal rule: if Kittle is available in Round 5, click him. He’s betting the higher on both the yardage and TD props in Pick’Em cards and building playoff stacks around him in Best Ball tournaments.

Sam Monson crowned George Kittle the league’s best tight end and argued fantasy drafters are still underrating him because San Francisco spreads targets. Kittle owns a career 13.7 yards per reception – identical to Ja'Marr Chase – and has cleared 14 YPR in each of the last two seasons (15.7 in 2022, 14.2 in 2023). That field-stretching efficiency offsets the fact he shares looks with Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Christian McCaffrey. Monson emphasized Kittle’s elite run-blocking keeps him on the field every down, locking in route participation and red-zone snaps. He said if Kittle ever landed in a Chiefs-style high-volume passing game he’d threaten 115-plus catches, so managers should happily draft him as a high-upside TE1 rather than fixating on raw target totals.

Greg Brainos said George Kittle should never last to the early-fifth in Best Ball Mania drafts and argued he belongs in the late-third. Brainos pointed out that Kittle actually outscored Trey McBride last year despite living almost entirely off touchdowns (career-high 11). He expects a friendlier target share in 2024, noting San Francisco will open the season without Jauan Jennings and with Brandon Aiyuk in a contract squabble—both scenarios that funnel more looks to Kittle. Even if the touchdown total regresses, an extra 2–3 targets per game would more than offset it. Brainos compared Kittle’s ceiling to 2022 Travis Kelce yet you can grab him 20–25 picks after McBride, David Njoku and Dalton Kincaid. He has adopted a “blanket rule” of clicking Kittle every time he is on the board in round five.

Josh Norris argued that George Kittle should go at least two rounds earlier than his current 5.01 ADP. While Brock Bowers and Trey McBride are being drafted in Round 2, Kittle—who has already posted three separate seasons as a top-3 tight end—is sitting three full rounds later. Norris noted that whenever one of the 49ers’ core skill players misses time, the remaining trio tends to "go nuclear," giving Kittle weekly 25-point spike-week potential. With San Francisco’s defense possibly regressing on paper and Kyle Shanahan’s offense still projected to rank top-5 in scoring, Norris believes Kittle can realistically finish as the overall TE1 or TE2. That sort of ceiling, coupled with the large draft-capital gap versus Bowers/McBride, makes Kittle one of the best value picks in Best Ball drafts right now.

Kerrane cannot understand why drafters keep pricing George Kittle in the early fifth round. He reminded listeners that the same discount existed last year when skeptics doubted 49ers pass volume—then San Francisco threw more and Kittle delivered multiple 25-point weeks. Now the offense may have to pass even more with reports ranking the 49ers defense near the bottom of the league and injuries thinning the receiving corps (Deebo departure rumors, Brandon Aiyuk ACL, Ricky Pearsall camp injury). Kerrane expects Brock Purdy to lean heavily on his All-Pro tight end again, making Kittle’s combination of big-play ability and red-zone usage an easy smash at pick 50-55 on both Underdog and DraftKings.

Greg Brainos said he is smashing George Kittle at his mid-fifth-round Best Ball Mania ADP because the veteran still owns overall TE1 upside. Brainos pointed out that San Francisco just shipped out Deebo Samuel and could open the season with Brandon Aiyuk nursing an injury, leaving Kittle as Brock Purdy’s most established target. Purdy led the league in play-action EPA per attempt last year and consistently hit Kittle on 20-plus-yard seam routes, a connection Brainos expects to grow in year two together. He added that Kyle Shanahan’s scheme forces linebackers to honor Christian McCaffrey on outside-zone looks, creating wide-open middle-of-the-field windows for Kittle, whose career 2.27 yards per route run still ranks second among active tight ends. Because Brainos believes only Kittle, Trey McBride and Brock Bowers offer true difference-making ceilings after Travis Kelce, drafting Kittle lets drafters stick to a 2-TE build and dedicate late picks to other positions without sacrificing weekly upside.

Bloom advised bypassing Trey McBride and rookie Brock Bowers at their inflated ADPs because drafters can land George Kittle three rounds later. In best-ball, rostering multiple tight ends mitigates Kittle’s weekly injury risk while capturing his unrivaled spike-week upside (five finishes of TE3 or better in 2023). Bloom stressed that opportunity cost matters more than positional scarcity: paying up early for McBride/Bowers costs access to the thinning running-back tier, whereas Kittle’s later tag preserves roster flexibility without sacrificing ceiling.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said George Kittle is a ‘really good click right now’ because he’s one of the few tight ends capable of dropping a 30-point week. The play becomes even stronger if you’re fading Brandon Aiyuk or waiting on injury news for the 49ers’ receiver room—any missed time by Aiyuk or Jauan Jennings funnels targets to Kittle. Pat reminded viewers that Kittle’s 2.31 yards per route run last season trailed only Travis Kelce among tight ends and that he ranked top-3 in tight-end red-zone target share despite missing a game. Given those spike-week traits, Pat is comfortable selecting him a round ahead of ADP when building San Francisco stacks or chasing early elite TE production.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound said George Kittle is an auto-click if he is still on the board around pick 55. In this draft Kittle slid past both Jaylen Waddle and George Pickens—something Pat noted rarely happens in sharp Best Ball Mania rooms where elite tight ends normally dry up in the early-40s. He framed the fall as pure closing-line value: you lock in a proven weekly difference-maker at a point in the draft where the remaining wide-outs are WR3 types. Pat stressed that grabbing Kittle here lets you bank onesie ceiling while the rest of the room continues to chase receivers, smoothing roster construction and freeing you to pound other positions later.

Billy Jones flagged George Kittle as the tight end most likely to jump a tier because he occupies a lonely ‘dead zone’ in current drafts—there’s a steep talent drop after the elite three, then nothing until late. With stacking partners Brock Purdy and Brandon Aiyuk already affordable and the Atlanta matchup in Week 17 drawing game-stack attention, Jones anticipates drafters moving Kittle up multiple spots to avoid the flat tier behind him. He suggests grabbing Kittle at cost now, before schedule-obsessed drafters finish their re-alignment and push him into the early-6th round.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound argued that George Kittle is being undervalued at pick 54, labeling him a tight end who can straight-up outscore the wide receivers in that range. Pat pointed out the positional "no-man’s land" after Travis Kelce and Sam LaPorta: drafters have to wait nearly 30 picks before another tight end with weekly 25-point upside appears. Kittle’s 2.42 yards per route was second only to Kelce last season, and with Brandon Aiyuk a potential PUP start and Deebo Samuel’s 26 % target share vacated by his trade request, Pat expects Kittle’s targets to jump from 5.6 to roughly 7 per game. Because he routinely posts 30-plus yard gains (nine receptions of 30 or more yards in 2023, best among TEs), Pat likes snapping him up in the late fourth to capitalize on a scarce ceiling while still building a robust receiver room afterward.

Andy Holloway said George Kittle is set up to dominate early in 2025. Kittle just secured a four-year, $76 million extension and will open the season as Brock Purdy’s unquestioned security blanket while Brandon Aiyuk rehabs and first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall learns the system. Holloway expects a spike in target share over the first six to eight weeks and noted that when Kittle’s route participation tops 80 %, he averages 17.4 PPR points per game. With San Francisco likely leaning on the veteran as the chain-mover in an otherwise timing-based attack, Holloway views him as a top-three redraft tight end, a weekly DFS core play in September, and the kind of win-now dynasty piece worth flipping a rookie like Colston Loveland for if you’re chasing a title.

Mike Renner said fantasy gamers should not downgrade George Kittle after the record-setting extension. Renner argued Kittle is still only 31 and tight ends historically hold elite production into their mid-30s—citing Travis Kelce, Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez as comps. He added that Kyle Shanahan’s system funnels high-leverage play-action targets to the tight end and the offense’s efficiency craters whenever Kittle misses time. With Kittle ranking top-five among all tight ends in yards per route (1.95) last season and the 49ers reaffirming his role by making him the highest-paid TE ever, Renner expects Kittle to remain a set-and-forget TE1 in season-long leagues and a strong DFS option whenever his price dips.

Jonathan Jones believes George Kittle will ultimately remain a 49er but cautioned that the veteran could mimic past San Francisco stars by letting negotiations linger deep into camp. Kittle, now 30, has watched four tight ends reset the market since his 2020 extension and is seeking to leapfrog Travis Kelce’s $14.3 million AAV. The front office chose not to pre‑empt Trey McBride’s record deal, and Jones noted the organization’s history—Deebo Samuel and Nick Bosa both inked late‑August contracts—as evidence that talks could drag. While Jones does not foresee a trade, he sees "real hold‑in" potential that could keep Kittle out of mandatory minicamp. Season‑long drafters should bake a small training‑camp absence into their risk profile.