The San Francisco 49ers sure are back. In a Week 1 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, they lost George Kittle early in the game, followed shortly by Jauan Jennings. They managed to pull out the win with some Brock Purdy heroics, but now their franchise QB will be out for some time with turf toe. Backup TE Jake Tonges played an essential role in the heroics with his jump-ball catch touchdown catch in the closing minutes.
With Kittle out, it’s time to decide if Tonges is worth some fantasy attention. Let’s dig into it.
Week 1 Breakdown
You may look at the snap counts and assume that Luke Farrell is the de facto TE1 for the 49ers. But in a game where they had to lean on the run game to stay alive, their top blocking TE got heavy usage, playing 58% of their snaps. That includes two tight end sets alongside Kittle before his exit, where the two blocked for Christian McCaffrey. However, Farrell parlayed that usage into only one target for one catch and four yards.
Tonges played a lower snap count at 39%, but he did garner three targets for 15 yards, including the game-winning TD. With a whole week to craft their game plan, Tonges figures to replace a lot of the Kittle usage and feature heavily next to Farrell in two tight end sets. But there is one big wrench in the machine: Mac Jones will be under center against the Saints.
The Verdict
Jones is going to have a short leash this week. Facing an inferior Saints team, they’ll lean on the run game and work quickly in the flats and over the middle. Deep drops and rollouts allow chances for the turnover-prone Jones to gamble the game away. Expect a heavy diet of Christian McCaffrey and some screen work out wide. That makes Tonges’ appeal a tricky case.
I don’t expect this 49ers passing game to be productive this week. But if Tonges can rack up the short, chain-moving catches, he can produce value. If you’re in a deep PPR league and desperate at tight end, Tonges is worth a shot. At worst, you can hold on to him and pray that Purdy returns for Week 3.
