49ers training camp: 5 best one-on-one battles to watch

49ers Camp Battle No. 2: George Kittle vs. Fred Warner

Of course, fans are going to want to watch a battle between two of San Francisco’s premier players, tight end George Kittle and linebacker Fred Warner, who both found themselves listed on the recent NFL 100 series for the top players entering 2020.

Kittle was No. 7, while Warner was No. 70.

There’s no questioning Kittle being Kyle Shanahan’s best offensive weapon, and the 2019 All-Pro needs little introduction by the way of his accolades or importance on the field.

Yet the Niners are going to guard against any tight end capable of serving as a legitimate pass-catching threat, putting Warner’s presence on the field into the spotlight. The third-year pro is San Francisco’s best coverage linebacker, indicated by his exceptional 76.4 pass-coverage grade. Particularly when the 49ers are in their nickel defense and Warner is on the strong side, he’ll often find himself tasked with locking Kittle down.

It won’t be shocking to see Kittle win a lot of these battles, of course. But if Warner responds with some great plays of his own, it’ll only reinforce the notion San Francisco has one of the best up-and-coming linebackers in the league today.