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George Kittle

Kittle / getting downfield

If you’re looking for unusual, historic receiving stats, best to consider the 49ers. I posted charts featuring Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk in recent weeks, and there’s a similarly impressive stat takeaway for George Kittle.

Kittle gets downfield for plenty of big plays. He averaged 15.7 yards per catch last year, over 3 more than any other tight end. His touchdowns last year came from an average of 30 yards (highest among tight ends for the fourth time in six years).

If we factor in incompletions, Kittle last season averaged 11.3 yards per pass plays. That’s the 2nd-most among tight ends in the 32-team era. (Among those with at least 50 targets, anyway.)

Only 17 times in the last 20 years have tight ends averaged at least 10 yards per play. Kittle and Rob Gronkowski are the only two who’ve done it three times.

For fantasy purposes, I wish they used him more in the red zone. I also don’t like that he gets hurt all the time. But it’s impressive how they’ve been able to get him downfield.

In the chart below the “average” isn’t the usual yards-per-catch but the average yards per target (including incompletions).

TIGHT ENDS AVERAGING 10 YARDS PER PASS PLAY
YearPlayerTgtRecYdsAvgTD
2010Antonio Gates, S.D.655078212.010
2023George Kittle, S.F.9065102011.36
2018Mark Andrews, Balt.503455211.03
2021Dallas Goedert, Phil.765683010.94
2019Jared Cook, N.O.654370510.89
2011Rob Gronkowski, N.E.12490132710.717
2004Jeb Putzier, Den.543657210.62
2008Tony Scheffler, Den.614064510.63
2004Alge Crumpler, Atl.744877410.56
2017Rob Gronkowski, N.E.10569108410.38
2022Dallas Goedert, Phil.695570210.23
2009Antonio Gates, S.D.11479115710.18
2018George Kittle, S.F.13688137710.15
2013Vernon Davis, S.F.845285010.113
2008Visanthe Shiancoe, Min.594259610.17
2020George Kittle, S.F.634863410.12
2012Rob Gronkowski, N.E.795579010.011

—Ian Allan

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