So this is sort of a young calf and old bull situation. In a lot of ways, George Kittle is the new Greg Olsen. Both playmaking tight ends who, either past or present, were basically matchup proof. Kittle is coming off a breakout season in 2018 and Olsen is coming off, well, a forgettable campaign riddled by injury. But the veteran has shown signs of life, with Olsen ninth among TEs in receiving yards this season (278), two places below Kittle, who has 376 yards.

The Panthers are coming off their bye week and will be rested heading out to San Francisco for a matchup between two talented, yet very different, defensive units. The Niners come into Week 8 ranked second in yards per game and points allowed per game (behind New England), but first in terms of pass defense (133.5 yards per game). The Panthers have been giving up points and yards, but their pass defense is also among the top 10 and they’re currently fourth in turnover margin (+6) with 15 total turnovers this season. This game has one of the lower implied point totals on the slate, so it may not be an ideal place to look for fantasy purposes. Still, let’s break down both TEs and whether you should consider them for season-long.

Fantasy Football Analysis, TEs George Kittle and Greg Olsen

Despite Carolina coming off a bye, this is a much better spot for Kittle, though even he shouldn’t have an easy afternoon. The 49ers have given up next to nothing to TEs all season and have feasted on inexperienced and inconsistent QB play. Note: Cam Newton isn’t expected to return for the Panthers this week, so we’ve got more Kyle Allen ($5,200). Simply looking at Olsen’s game log shows inconsistency and reliance on matchup in order to return value. When Olsen plays the Bucs or Cardinals, he parties like it’s 2015. Otherwise, we can’t expect much.

As for Kittle, the Panthers are rested, have talented LBs in Luke Kuechly and Shaq Thompson and their secondary is advantageous. Plus, they boast the top pass rush in the NFL with 27 sacks this season. Still, it’s hard to fade Kittle any week given what he’s capable of putting up. Generally he isn’t a guy you question whether or not to play week-to-week, you just lock him in and forget about it.

Start/Sit Recommendation

Kittle: Start.

OIsen: Sit in shallow leagues, start in deeper PPR formats.

“All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS contests.”