ESPN's Jeremy Fowler continues to reveal his 2022 positional rankings based on conversations with more than 50 league executives, coaches, scouts, and players. His latest edition is a ranking of NFL tight ends, and San Francisco 49ers fans should be happy with George Kittle's placement. Kansas City Chiefs fans, however, might be a little less enthusiastic.
Kittle came in at No. 1 for the third consecutive year, right above Travis Kelce. The two are arguably the best tight ends in the league. Kelce has been the more productive tight end when it comes to sheer numbers. However, many will agree that Kittle is the best overall tight end when it comes to everything head coach Kyle Shanahan asks him to do. That "all-around game" lifted him above his Chiefs counterpart in this ranking.
"His production last year -- 71 catches for 910 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games -- was modest for his standards, and he missed time for a third straight season because of a calf injury," wrote Fowler. "But Kittle's 6.2 catches above expectation (per NFL Next Gen Stats) and 19.4% reception rate per route run were both second highest among tight ends. ... Kittle's 452 yards after catch ranked second among tight ends, and his 188 yards after first contact were third."
Said one NFC offensive coach: "He's such an explosive player with or without the ball, run game, run after catch -- that to me is the biggest thing. He's never going to be a great route runner. But he plays so physical through contact, and his savvy, and his play speed is so fast that he can overcome all of that."
On Wednesday, Fowler revealed the top 10 wide receivers. You knew Deebo Samuel would be on there. However, some have questioned his low placement at No. 9 on the list. Understandable, Davante Adams grabbed the top spot. He is followed by Cooper Kupp, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, and Mike Evans—in that order.
Samuel seeks to become one of the league's top-paid wideouts. Earlier this offseason, he requested to be traded after watching other receivers earn big paydays. The 49ers wideout is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
Samuel had a breakout season in 2021, accumulating 1,770 all-purpose yards and 14 total touchdowns in a dual-threat role that saw him catching passes and serving as a running back. According to Fowler, it's that hybrid role that complicated the voting for evaluators.
"As a pure WR, I'm not sure where to put him," an NFL personnel director told Fowler. "As an offensive skill player, he's elite and belongs in there."
The 49ers star is dangerous, even as a pure receiver, though. Fowler notes that Samuel averaged a league-leading 10 yards after the catch per reception, with nearly 30 percent of his catches in 2021 resulting in at least 20 yards.
One NFL insider responded to those who criticize that Samuel is not as refined a route-runner as those ranked above him.
"I don't think he's ever had to sit and do routes exclusively because he's always been so talented that every offense gets him the ball quickly and takes the full route tree off the table a little bit," an AFC scout told Fowler. "He's like Tyreek [Hill] in that, get him the ball, even as a handoff, and can be successful. So maybe he can't run as many routes as Keenan Allen or Justin Jefferson. But the balance is healthy because he's so good. And he can run routes and break you down. He has to be schemed up a little bit, but not to the point where he can't be a No. 1."
Other 49ers stars who have earned spots within ESPN's position-by-position top 10 rankings are Fred Warner, who is No. 3 among off-ball linebackers, Arik Armstead, who is No. 8 among defensive tackles, and Nick Bosa, who is No. 3 among edge rushers.