George Kittle Fantasy football ranking: 2020 outlook, projections, ADP, value, predictions, stats

George Kittle has finished as the TE2 and TE3 in Fantasy points per game during the past two seasons. No player at any position had a better 2019 season than Kittle, per PFF's grading. Kittle not only led all players in yards per route run in 2020, but he recorded the highest yards per route run mark of any tight end in NFL history. Where should he be in your 2020 Fantasy football rankings, and what George Kittle Fantasy football outlook can you expect?

Kittle's remarkable Fantasy output in his first three pro seasons plus some beneficial changes this offseason suggest that Kittle might even have even more records to break in 2020. Former teammate Emmanuel Sanders signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, and the Niners replaced him with first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk has a lot of talent, but he doesn't project as someone who will make much of an impact in his first year in the NFL.

The 2020 George Kittle Fantasy football value remains strong, as he's set for another 1,000-yard campaign. He's a second-round candidate in most formats, but how high should he be in your 2020 Fantasy football rankings? Here's what you need to know:

So which players are poised for breakouts, which sleepers do you need to jump on, and which busts should you avoid at all costs in your Fantasy football league? Join SportsLine now to get early 2020 Fantasy football rankings, plus see which WR is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.

George Kittle Fantasy ADP & ranking (via SportsLine's projection model)

No. 21.1 ADP
No. 1 TE (non-PPR)
No. 2 TE (PPR)

George Kittle Fantasy projections (via SportsLine's projection model) 

108 targets, 81.3 receptions, 1,017 receiving yards, 5.4 receiving TDS
135.5 Fantasy points (non-PPR); 216.8 (PPR)

George Kittle 2020 Fantasy outlook 

George Kittle's 28.2 percent target market share was the highest at the tight end position by a wide margin. Kelce's 23.1 percent target share was the next-highest mark. So why the low target total in 2019? Well, the problem was the lack of pass attempts from San Fran's run-heavy offense. Only the Ravens threw at a lower rate than the Niners, who posted a 48.6 percent run-to-pass ratio in 2019. Only three teams have finished with a ratio below 50 percent over the past five years, and the two other teams had Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson. Jackson accounted for 30 percent of Baltimore's rushing attempts, while Wilson was responsible for 13 percent of Seattle's.

Garoppolo accounted for just nine percent of San Fran's rushing attempts. This is worth noting, because it makes San Fran's 51.4 percent rush rate in 2019 seem all the more unsustainable. Almost all of those attempts came from the running backs, and RB carries are tied more to the percentage of plays during which the team held a lead, which is likely to fluctuate on a year-to-year basis. Everything came together perfectly for the 49ers in 2019 -- Sportsbooks set San Francisco's win total at just eight games, but they ended up finishing 13-3.

Only the Ravens and Chiefs spent more time playing with a lead or tie than the Niners, who only trailed on 28.7 percent of their offensive plays. Sportsbooks have San Fran's win total set at 10.5 for 2020, so it is possible that they again are among the NFL's top teams. Even if they reach their implied win total, probability doesn't favor San Fran's chances of another 13-win season.

Fewer wins means less offensive plays spent playing with the lead, which in turn means a more balanced approach. Combine that with the potential for an even larger role with former teammate Emmanuel Sanders in New Orleans, and it's realistic to expect Kittle's 107 target total from 2019 to finish closer to the 136 targets he saw in 2018.

The targets aren't the only part of Kittle's game that could see improvement in 2020. Kittle has ranked fourth at the tight end position in red zone targets per game in each of the past two seasons, but ranks just 25th and 16th in red zone touchdowns, respectively. Somehow, Kittle's 46 red zone targets and 16 end zone targets have netted him just five touchdowns across the past two seasons. Given Kittle's skillset, that is difficult to believe.

Kittle has been able to post some of the strongest Fantasy seasons at the TE position in recent memory, and it has come without even average touchdown production for the position. If Kittle has better luck in the touchdown department in 2020, and the 49ers are forced to increase their pass rate, we could be looking at the best Fantasy season ever for a tight end -- that is the type of upside Kittle possesses.