Fantasy football: 5 49ers you should draft in 2018
By Peter Panacy
No. 5: Tight End George Kittle
2018 ADP: 12.08
A year ago, the fantasy football market was pretty thin on above-achieving tight ends. 2018 won’t be much different. So unless you’re lucky enough to land one of the elite names — Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz — you’re likely to settle for a mid- to late-round option.
San Francisco 49ers
And the later rounds can provide you with second-year TE George Kittle.
According to Fantasy Football Calculator, Kittle’s 2018 average draft position (ADP) is 12.08 for 12-team leagues. If you’re unsure how to read that number (you’re not alone), the first number is the round and the second is the pick in said round. So Kittle is being taken roughly with the eighth pick in Round 12.
Got it? Good. We’ll be using ADP from here on out.
Kittle is a nice sleeper option for a starting TE and more that worthwhile for a backup. His rookie season, Kittle had 43 receptions for 515 yards — the most from any tight end, drafted in Round 5 or later, in the modern football era.
While he mostly played second fiddle to fellow tight end Garrett Celek on the depth chart, Kittle was far more effective, offensively, and won’t have any realistic challenges to his role and roster spot.
And if Jimmy Garoppolo starts using Kittle as his red-zone threat this season, you’ll be watching your fantasy point soar in this season.
Not bad for a 12th-round pickup.