George Kittle

Kittle’s extremely effective on a per-game basis, but injuries have taken some of the shine off the 28-year-old tight end. After averaging 86.5 catches for 1,215 yards and five touchdowns in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Kittle was limited to just 22 of a possible 33 appearances over the ensuing two seasons by knee, foot and calf injuries. The last two injuries both required stints on injured reserve, though Kittle wound up sitting out only three games in 2021 after missing half of the 2020 campaign. Considering he got off to a slow start and attempted to play hurt a couple times, Kittle’s top-five finishes among tight ends in catches (71) and receiving yards (910) and seventh-place touchdown total (six) last season don’t look too bad at all. He also didn’t lose any of his signature ability to elude defenders after the catch, finishing second behind Travis Kelce among tight ends and 16th among all players with 443 YAC. The star tight end rarely comes off the field, and his toughness and blocking are just as important for San Francisco’s smash-mouth style as Kittle’s pass-catching and YAC abilities. Kittle has thrived despite lackluster quarterback play before, so San Francisco’s uncertainty under center is unlikely to impact his performance too much, though it’s worth noting that he was targeted only twice in Trey Lance’s lone start for which Kittle was available last season. Read Past Outlooks