49ers: Full San Francisco position grades for the 2018 season

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SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 01: George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers walks off the field after defeating the Oakland Raiders 34-3 in their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 1, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

A. . . . TIGHT END

OK, before you wonder why the 49ers tight ends don’t receive an A-plus grade after what George Kittle did, hear this out — the Niners’ No. 2 tight end, Garrett Celek, had just one more catch (five) than he had penalties (four) this season. It surely seems as if “Celek Time” didn’t repeat itself much from 2017.

That’s the only bad at this position, though.

What’s to say about Kittle that hasn’t already been said? Well, there’s this from Pro Football Focus:

George Kittle dominated in 2018! pic.twitter.com/4C09SOfpPC
— PFF (@PFF) January 1, 2019

Kittle also became the first 49ers tight end to record over 1,000 receiving yards in a season, and his 1,377 yards shattered that mark. He also became the first Niners pass catcher to reach the 1,000-yard plateau since wide receiver Anquan Boldin back in 2014.

Kittle also had 210 receiving yards in a single game, back against the Denver Broncos in Week 14, which were five yards shy of the all-time record for a tight end in one game.

Send him to the Pro Bowl, yes. But how about naming him a first-team All-Pro? That’s justified, too.

San Francisco 49ers: Full position grades for the 2018 season

By Peter Panacy | Jan 3, 2019