George Kittle Fantasy Outlook & Injury Update 2022 (Health Isn't a Concern Right Now)

Joining the NFL in 2017, it didn't take George Kittle long to become one of the best tight ends in the league. The San Francisco 49ers star is coming off yet another Pro-Bowl performance that saw him end 2021 as the TE4 in PPR fantasy football formats.

Unfortunately, injuries have been a bit of a concern for Kittle lately. He's missed an average of 4.3 games over the last three seasons and hasn't played a full campaign since 2018, leaving potential fantasy managers wondering what to expect from him this fall.

George Kittle Fantasy Football Outlook

Even with wideouts Brandon Ayiuk and Deebo Samuel cementing themselves as legitimate receiving options, Kittle was still productive last year. He finished his fifth NFL season with 71 receptions, 910 yards and a career-high 6 touchdowns.

Kittle, Ayiuk and Samuel are still the 49ers' top-three pass-catchers, but now they have to deal with Trey Lance under center. The former North Dakota State gunslinger didn't look too sharp as a rookie, completing 57.7% of his passes over two starts for 603 yards and 5 TDs to 7 interceptions.

There will obviously be growing pains before Lance gains more experience, but head coach Kyle Shanahan is clearly confident in the sophomore's abilities. With TEs often acting as security blankets for inexperienced quarterbacks, I could see Kittle's production continuing to be solid despite any struggles Lance endures.

George Kittle Injury Update

Injuries are always a concern among Kittle owners, but the good news is that he appears to be healthy. He did deal with a calf issue back during organized team activities in May, but there have been few updates since then, which is a good thing.

With Kittle being a full participant in training camp this week, there's no real need to be concerned at the moment. Nevertheless, keep the fact that he's only played one full NFL season at the back of your head if you plan on drafting him in the coming weeks.

George Kittle Projections

Projections from the NFL odds on FanDuel Sportsbook are far from high on Kittle. One example is that he owns just +10000 odds to be the league's receiving yards leader in 2022, placing him in a 26-way tie for the 44th-best odds. He also has +7500 odds (T-No. 38) to finish with the most receiving TDs.

Meanwhile, FanDuel lists Kittle's projected receiving yards total at 825.5 with -112 odds on both the over and under. While the 28-year-old has hit the over in three of his last four seasons, he needs to stay healthy to do so again in 2022.

Keeping that in mind, he averaged 12.8 yards per reception last season. In other words, assuming that trend continues, he'd need to finish with about 65 receptions. Although that may not seem like much, it could be tougher if Lance isn't ready for the starting QB role.

Is George Kittle a Good Fantasy Football Pick?

Considering that he was a top-five tight end last year, it goes without saying that Kittle is a great fantasy football pick. He's essentially another wideout in a TE's body, giving him solid value in both PPR and standard formats alike. If Lance can surprise people, the results will be reflected in Kittle's fantasy totals.

For now, Fantasy Pros lists Kittle as the TE4 heading into the upcoming season. He also carries an average draft position of 43.8, placing him firmly inside of the fourth round in 12-team leagues.

Oh, and if you drafted Kittle as your TE1 then you might want to check out the best George Kittle fantasy football team names for your squad too.

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Devon Platana is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Devon Platana also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username PepeSilvia0. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.