George Kittle still top TE in NFL, per PFF, despite age and injuries

George Kittle remains the standard-bearer at tight end, according to Pro Football Focus, even as the 49ers await his return from a torn Achilles.

PFF ranked Kittle No. 1 on its list of the top 32 tight ends ahead of the 2026 season, noting he led all players at the position in PFF grade (90.7) for the third straight year and the fifth time in his nine-year career.

Kittle has been one of the five highest-graded tight ends in the league in every season but his rookie year, excelling as both a receiver and run blocker. He has also been the most valuable tight end in the league across the past three seasons, according to PFF’s Wins Above Replacement metric.

Kittle put up those numbers despite an injury-riddled 2025 season. He missed six games with ankle and hamstring issues before finishing with 57 catches for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games, earning his seventh Pro Bowl selection. His season then ended abruptly when he tore his right Achilles while making a catch in San Francisco’s Wild Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Jan. 11.

The 32-year-old has since called his recovery timeline “fantastic,” saying he’s off crutches and running at speeds topping 16 mph. He didn’t practice during OTAs or minicamp, but has maintained he’s on track for Week 1, when the 49ers open the season against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia.

Kittle’s connection with Brock Purdy remains central to the offense’s outlook. Per PFF’s data-driven look at QB-TE partnerships, the duo posted a 141.1 passer rating with five touchdowns and no interceptions in qualifying volume together in 2025 — their fourth straight season inside the position’s top tier. Since 2022, Purdy and Kittle have combined for 0.750 EPA per play across 269 targets, the most volume of any duo in the PFF era with at least 75 targets, and fourth-best overall in EPA per play among that group.

If Kittle returns on schedule, San Francisco gets back its most trusted target — and PFF’s top-graded tight end — as it looks to rebuild a defense-strained roster around a fully healthy offense.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: George Kittle still top TE in NFL, per PFF, despite age and injuries