Niner Noise
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49ers 2018 roster: Final 53-man predictions before Week 1

By Aaron Tan

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 24: Aaron Burbridge #13 of the San Francisco 49ers leads teammates onto the field before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 24: Aaron Burbridge #13 of the San Francisco 49ers leads teammates onto the field before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 24: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring on a eight-yard touchdown catch against the Jacksonville Jaguars during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 24: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after scoring on a eight-yard touchdown catch against the Jacksonville Jaguars during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images) /

Tight End (3): George Kittle, Garrett Celek, Cole Hikutini

Believe it or not, George Kittle and Garrett Celek have the chance to become one of the best tight end tandems in the league.

Kittle has top-five tight end potential if he stays healthy. Celek did not have a good preseason game against Indianapolis, but I have a good feeling that he’s going to bounce back in the 2018 regular season to give us more nice doses of “Celek Time.” He is an excellent receiving option at tight end.

The third tight end I see making the roster is Cole Hikutini, who is admittedly on the fringe right now. He dropped a perfectly thrown would-be touchdown pass from Jimmy Garoppolo against Indianapolis, but has been a solid third option in training camp and preseason so far this year.

Cole Wick, a tight end who has real potential, could steal a spot from Hikutini when roster cuts arrive.

However, the way playing time has been distributed between them so far in preseason, I don’t see that happening.