Normally a must-start for fantasy football managers, George Kittle’s presence on the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 4 injury report is a major headache heading into the week. With mixed returns so far this season when he has been on the field, can you trust Kittle to start in fantasy lineups this week, or should you consider him a player to sit?
Update 10/3/21: George Kittle has been announced as active for the 49ers matchup against Seattle in Week 4.
George Kittle has mixed start to the 2021 fantasy season
Typically discussed in the pantheon of the great fantasy tight ends in the game right now, Kittle has been less than convincing at times this season. Entering Week 4, Kittle ranks eighth at the position in terms of fantasy points per game with 9.
In Week 1, he turned 5 targets into 4 receptions and 78 receiving yards (9.8 fantasy points). Week 2 saw him pull in all 4 of his targets, but for just 17 receiving yards, leaving him with just 3.7 fantasy points. He immediately bounced back with 7 receptions for 92 yards and 13.6 fantasy points.
While no one is a lock to return double-digit fantasy points on a weekly basis, it is a far cry from the 19 fantasy ppg that Travis Kelce is averaging this season.
The matchup with the Seahawks is intriguing
The Seahawks are in the bottom half when it comes to fantasy points allowed to the TE position, but only slightly. They sit as the 14th-toughest matchup, allowing 11.97 fantasy ppg to the position. The positive is that no other TE has a single target for the 49ers this season. If he is active, all of those points would go to Kittle.
An intriguing element of this matchup is looking at Kittle’s splits historically against the Seahawks. In seven games, Kittle has 28 receptions on 41 targets. He has turned them into 341 receiving yards but has never caught a touchdown against Seattle. On average, Kittle has scored just under 7 fantasy ppg when facing the Seahawks.
Should you start Kittle in your Week 4 fantasy lineup?
If Kittle is active, realistically, you have to take the chance to start him in your fantasy lineup. The problems, though, are clear to see. This is not a slam-dunk matchup for Kittle, and historically, he has not had great success against Seattle.
The other major red flag is the kickoff time being late afternoon. If Kittle cannot suit up Sunday afternoon, there will be limited fantasy options to turn to amongst those yet to play in Week 4. That is the risk you take waiting for Kittle. The latest report from Adam Schefter is that Kittle will play this week, but if a setback occurs in pre-game warmups, you could be left staring down the barrel at some unappealing TE options on the waiver wire.