San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle was carted off the field on Sunday afternoon against the Vikings, leaving an offense that is already without a star even more thin. What should fantasy football managers make of this development?
What Happened to George Kittle?
Kittle has missed just three games over the past two seasons, and while his fantasy production has been a bit hit-and-miss at times, his availability has never been an issue.
With Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve and potentially missing the next two months, there is the potential for Kittle to be as consistent of a fantasy option as at any point in his career.
McCaffrey’s injury has pushed Deebo Samuel Sr. into more of an “offensive weapon” role, thus vacating some targets alongside Brandon Aiyuk in one of the most efficient offenses in the game.
However, there probably shouldn’t be much to be concerned about. The Vikings-49ers Broadcast said that Kittle went to the locker room for an IV. Presumably, getting taken inside on a cart was to get him to the back faster rather than anything to do with an injury.
Broadcast says George Kittle went to the locker room for an IV. https://t.co/4bEV0eemTX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 15, 2024
Kittle led the 49ers in catches, yards, and targets before leaving on Sunday, a stat line that included his first touchdown of the season.
Health permitting, Kittle deserves to be labeled a top-five option at the position. Should he miss time, the value of the two receivers increases even further – though both are already locked into lineups.
Don’t worry about the underwhelming nature of Week 2 – you still want all of the healthy pieces attached to this offense.