George Kittle might have landed at No. 3 in ESPN's tight end rankings, a slide from his No. 2 spot last year with Trey McBride now at that position and Brock Bowers still holding down No. 1. But seriously, if you actually watched the dude play, that No. 3 spot feels like a low blow, especially when some anonymous coach or executive out there tried to rank Kittle as low as No. 8. That kind of wild take should disqualify them from making lists forever.
The True Story Behind Kittle's 'Slide'
Forget the number on the list for a second and look at the facts. What's holding Kittle back isn't age, it's injuries. The man was still dominant at 32 years old last season. He put up 57.1 yards per game, which was second among all tight ends, hauled in seven touchdowns, and churned out 2.39 yards per route run. And get this: the 49ers' passer rating when targeting Kittle was a ridiculous 138.4, with a stellar 82.6% catch rate. An NFC executive summed it up perfectly, saying, "Injuries and durability are becoming a concern, but when he's healthy, he's still the most versatile, dominant, complete tight end. He's still the gold standard for blocking, running and catching." Kittle is battling back from a late-season Achilles tear, but he's eyeing a Week 1 return. Don't forget, he's one of only three players with six-plus receiving touchdowns in each of his past five seasons, putting him in company with Ja'Marr Chase and Davante Adams. Sports Info Solutions even pegged him as the sixth-most valuable tight end last year, despite him missing a whole month of football. Seven touchdowns in just 11 games? That's flat-out impressive, no matter what rank someone tries to slap on him.
Mike Evans Changes Everything for the 49ers Offense
Here's the real kicker and what makes this upcoming season so exciting for the 49ers' offense. Last season, defenses knew the deal. They weren't respecting the 49ers outside the numbers, daring Brock Purdy to throw to the perimeter because there just weren't any true weapons out there. Guess who suffered the most from that? Guys like Kittle and Christian McCaffrey. But now? Enter Mike Evans. With Evans on board, teams HAVE to respect the outside. That opens up the entire field. Suddenly, those daring defenses are going to have to make tough choices, and Kittle should be a massive beneficiary. Ricky Pearsall is another guy who will thrive, but Kittle is going to feast. He "should be even better" with Evans drawing attention, creating space, and allowing Kittle to do what he does best: dominate every single snap.
So, while the rankings might say Kittle is No. 3, the addition of Mike Evans and his hopeful Week 1 return from injury means we could see an even more dangerous, unstoppable George Kittle this season. Get ready, because the 49ers offense is about to unlock a whole new level.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.