Eagles vs. SF 49ers: 3 players who should see more snaps in Week 4
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: SF 49ers Tight End Ross Dwelley
George Kittle’s absence isn’t the only hindrance the SF 49ers have dealt with at the position this season. In Week 3, the Niners lost veteran tight end Jordan Reed to short-term injured reserve after he suffered both knee and ankle injuries in the win over the New York Giants.
What’s a shame is Reed was making quite the impact in Kittle’s stead.
Even though Kittle is slated to return, it might be foolish for Kyle Shanahan to rush him back into the fray at 100 percent right away, particularly against a banged-up Eagles squad not posing a serious threat to San Francisco’s push to get to 3-1.
So, if that’s the case, No. 3 tight end
should get a few more looks this Sunday instead of the 34 percent he averaged last season.
To date, Dwelley’s usage has been up to roughly 54 percent of offensive snaps, which is great. Out of those increased opportunities, Dwelley has rewarded San Francisco with five catches for 54 yards. In contrast, Reed’s three-game impact has netted 11 catches for 85 yards, so one might expect an uptick from Dwelley in response to Reed’s absence.
Dwelley proved last year he can be a reliable fill-in option, coming through with some clutch catches against the Arizona Cardinals in Weeks 9 and 11.
Perhaps he delivers in a similar fashion against the Eagles in Week 4.