The San Francisco 49ers battled injuries at nearly every position last season, including tight end, as George Kittle missed significant time with hamstring, ankle and Achilles issues.
This forced the 49ers to rely on backup tight end Jake Tonges, who impressed in his opportunities and became a reliable target for both Brock Purdy and Mac Jones throughout the year.
Heading into 2026, San Francisco re-signed Tonges to a two-year, $8 million contract with $3.5 million guaranteed, and Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes that the 26-year-old could be a league-winning bargain for fantasy owners this season.
“Over his first two seasons in the NFL, Tonges was essentially a non-factor in the passing game. But last year, he played just under 400 snaps, catching 34 passes for 293 yards and an impressive five touchdowns,” Davenport wrote. “Teammate George Kittle was PFF’s highest-graded tight end a year ago, but Tonges also worked his way into the top 10…
“Fantasy managers appear relatively confident Kittle will make a relatively quick recovery from the Achilles tear that ended his 2025 season, despite the fact that he’ll be 33 in October and has an injury history. That injury came in the postseason, though. Kittle could easily start 2026 on PUP and may not be close to 100 percent for a while after that.”
If Kittle can’t go, Tonges would also be the top tight end, but even if he can, the 49ers used multiple tight ends on nearly 20% of their plays in 2025. With more faith in Tonges after last season, they may be more willing to use him as a weapon in 2026.
At this point, Tonges is going undrafted in most leagues, so he should be available for most owners to snag.
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