How good of a season is second-year tight end George Kittle having? He hauled in 10 passes for 120 yards from his former Iowa teammate and fellow rookie, quarterback C.J. Beathard, in six games last year. Kittle eclipsed that mark in a single performance on Sunday when he caught six passes for a career-high 125 yards with a touchdown during a 29-27 loss against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Beathard targeted Kittle eight times on Sunday and connected with him six times. Their biggest connection came in the third quarter when Beathard hit Kittle for an 82-yard touchdown, which was the longest by a tight end in franchise history.
"We had an idea going into the game that he had a chance to have a big game," head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Monday.
Kittle has been one of the few bright spots during an otherwise disappointing 49ers season. Fans had to watch the team lose its starting quarterback, running back, and, most likely, its playoff hopes. Still, the season is just a quarter in and should the 49ers get healthy, anything could happen.
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Kittle has become an important part of the 49ers offense. With wide receivers Marquise Goodwin and now Dante Pettis ailing, Kittle has to remain a reliable target for Beathard. He is Pro Football Focus's highest graded (90.0) tight end. That's pretty impressive considering Kittle was a fifth-round draft pick last year.
Kittle played through several injuries during his rookie campaign and got off to a rough start during preseason this year. He suffered a separated shoulder early during the 49ers' exhibition opener on August 9 and was kept out for the remainder of the preseason. Kittle is finally healthy, and the team hopes to keep him that way.
"I think Kittle's very good," Shanahan said. "I think he's been good since he got here. He was a guy we were very surprised that he fell to us in the draft. I thought he was one of our best players last year going into the season.
"He got banged up early on, as I've talked about. He made it through and kept playing, but he wasn't moving the same way he started out. He got healthy towards the end of the year to where I think more people saw his ability. Then he's been healthy this year, so I think it's been easier for him to show it."
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Kittle is behind only Jared Cook of the Oakland Raiders when it comes to fantasy points among tight ends, according to NFL.com. He ranks third in total reception yards and average yards per catch among all tight ends (with 10-or-more catches). Kittle is on pace for 72 receptions for 1,264 yards, which would be a franchise record for receiving yards by a tight end.
Kittle's 2018 performance may be taking many by surprise, but those who follow the team closely probably saw it coming. His 43 receptions for 515 yards last year were impressive when compared to the statistics of other high-profile NFL tight ends during their rookie seasons. The reception yards topped the rookie campaigns of players like Jordan Reed and Zach Ertz (both in 2013). Kittle was just 31 yards shy of Rob Gronkowski's mark in 2010.
Kittle's rookie numbers are even more impressive when you consider that he was dealing with hamstring, calf, hip, chest, back, elbow, and ankle injuries. The high-ankle injury prevented him from properly planting his foot.
The Beathard-to-Kittle connection is still blossoming, and there's no telling if the record pace is sustainable. For the 49ers, the season may depend on it.
"I know the guy, his tendencies, and what he's good at running, and how he gets open," Beathard said of Kittle after Sunday's loss. "It's just kind of a feel thing that we've got a good-- we jell together, I guess."
