SF 49ers: Ross Dwelley should see more action for Kyle Shanahan

A look at why SF 49ers tight end Ross Dwelley should see the field more. He has proven himself in this system and can be productive.

The SF 49ers have had some great tight ends in their franchise, although third-year pro Ross Dwelley likely isn’t among the names you’d normally consider.

Instead, the few names who come to mind are Brent Jones, Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker and, of course, the 2019 first-team All-Pro, George Kittle.

All of these tight ends have had great success here in San Francisco. In head coach Kyle Shanahan’s system, the tight end is a huge part of the offense. While Kittle is the face of the SF 49ers’ tight end group right now, the Niners still have a fantastic group of tight ends, currently.

Dwelley, while is not a starter, is a fantastic and very solid, underrated player. And when Dwelley needs to step up, he does. He should see more playing time as a result, both because of his abilities and almost by necessity.

SF 49ers’ Ross Dwelley in 2019

Dwelley filled in for an injured Kittle over the course of two games back in the 2019 season, doing so and not missing a beat. While he is no Kittle, by any means, Dwelley was a productive and reliable target for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Dwelley fought for extra yards and rarely dropped his targets.

In 2019, he had 15 targets, 91 yards, and two touchdowns. While none of those numbers are super crazy, he showed he can be productive in this system. He works great as another big receiver for the quarterback to target.

Don’t forget, two of those catches in the Niners’ nailbiting win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 9 were clutch, and Dwelley also found the end zone in much-needed situations against the Cardinals two weeks later.

Ross Dwelley a great SF 49ers depth piece

Dwelley, while not a starter, is a great piece to have on a football team. He is reliable as a second tight end and as a backup. He can step up if your starter goes down, proven already in 2019 by his work in Kittle’s stead. He is a solid blocker and is a great pass-catcher, too, also filling in for fullback Kyle Juszczyk when the latter was out with injury last year.

Dwelley fights for as many yards he can get. He can play special teams. He’s also a very versatile tight end, displayed by the ability to fill in at fullback.

He overall is a well rounded tight end, and Dwelley should get more playing time and is a great player.

With Kittle coming back from a knee injury and the Niners poised to miss No. 2 tight end Jordan Reed for the foreseeable future, Dwelley’s chance to shine is now.