George Kittle Ruled Out, Where Do Fantasy Owners Turn?

• George Kittle was ruled out with a sprained knee against the New York Jets.
• The odds a tight end is still available in fantasy football is quite high.

SAN FRANCISCO – After a pass that caused George Kittle to extend more than he wanted to and receive a clean hit from Budda Baker.

Kittle appeared agitated instantly and hopped to the sideline immediately. Now, the reports are official and George Kittle will be listed as “out” for Week 2 ‘s game against the New York Jets.

For the San Francisco 49ers, the injury couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s early in the season, the team is playing a Le’Veon Bell-less Jets team, and players are still getting acclimated back to the NFL game speed.

For fantasy football owners, however, Week 2 plays a crucial role in that development toward an undefeated season, a balancing act to get to 1-1, or a downfall into a dreaded 0-2 hole.

As Kittle is expected to suit up for Week 3, those playing the season fantasy games can find an option on free agency just for this week.

Top Fantasy Tight End Free Agents – Week 2

• Logan Thomas
• Chris Herndon
• Dan Arnold

While it is likely Thomas was scooped up during the waiver wire period, those leagues who see the Washington tight end still available should not hesitate to grab him.

On the field for 75% of the team’s snaps, Thomas led the Washington Football Team in targets (8) and found instant chemistry among the coaching staff.

Herndon is likely still available, rostered in just over a third (37%) of all leagues. Herndon plays for the New York Jets which is always a struggle to cope with, but the variety from Herndon makes him a great play in Week 2.

The tight end played 40 snaps last week and even lined up out wide for a quarter of them. With this, look for the Jets to get Herndon involved early without the likes of Le’Veon Bell.

The Jets are going up against the Niners this week as well, so be cautious to that – but after Week 1’s showing, this may not be the 49ers’ defense we are used to seeing from last year.

A little further down the list is Arizona Cardinals’ tight end Dan Arnold. No previous stats will show this as a solid investment, but sometimes NFL fantasy football requires a bold step.

Arnold was as even as it gets against Maxx Williams – Arizona’s other tight end – but in this high-flying offenses, there will be plenty of targets to go around.

Even better, the Cardinals are going up against the Washington Football Team, who let the Philadelphia Eagles’ tight ends in Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert go off for 11 catches, 119 yards, and 2 touchdowns last week.

Replacing Kittle On DFS

When it comes to daily fantasy, things are a little different. Kittle is a valuable asset at tight end and generally one of (if not the) most expensive at the position.

At $7,400 on FanDuel, Kittle is ranked third this week behind Travis Kelce ($7,800) and Mark Andrews ($7,500).

However, going down the list, the prices fall rapidly until DFS players hit Hayden Hurst – the tenth-ranked TE at $5,700.

For those who have the ability to splurge, buying Andrews for $100 more is a steal. For those who are looking to improve their flex after reducing their tight end juice, looking at TJ Hockenson could be favorable.

The Detroit Lions’ tight end costs $5,600 after an impressive 5-56-1 opening week. This is only one of the many options at DFS sites but without Kittle in the lineup, it opens up many doors for exploring.

News tags: Arizona Cardinals | Budda Baker | Chris Herndon | Dallas Goedert | Dan Arnold | Detroit Lions | George Kittle | Le'Veon Bell | Logan Thomas | Maxx Williams | New York Jets | Philadelphia Eagles | San Francisco 49ers | TJ Hockenson | Washington Football Team | Zach Ertz