George Kittle vs Michael Mayer: Who Should You Start?
George Kittle and Michael Mayer are at different tiers heading into 2026. The San Francisco 49ers tight end averaged 12.1 PPG in 2025, a full 7.4 points per game ahead of Michael Mayer's 4.7 with the Las Vegas Raiders. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
The per-game difference of 7.4 points favors George Kittle, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one tight end to the other.
George Kittle is the volume tight end in this matchup with 57 receptions for 628 yards, while Michael Mayer profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 35 catches). In weeks where Michael Mayer finds the end zone he out-scores George Kittle, but the floor gap is real.
George Kittle has his bye in Week 14, and Michael Mayer rests in Week 8. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
