Start George Kittle or Isaiah Likely? Week 9

Our Week 9 call

Start George Kittle over Isaiah Likely in Week 9.

Market-based projections have George Kittle at 15.9 points and Isaiah Likely at 12.8, a gap of 3.0. No player market is posted for George Kittle this week yet, so his 15.9 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (15.7 and 16.0); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. No player market is posted for Isaiah Likely this week yet, so his 12.8 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 6 and 7 (13.5 and 12.2); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take George Kittle at ADP 92 and Isaiah Likely at 144.

What the market projects

No Week 9 player market is posted for George Kittle yet. His market-based projections were 15.7 and 16.0 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 15.9, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

No Week 9 player market is posted for Isaiah Likely yet. His market-based projections were 13.5 and 12.2 points in Weeks 6 and 7, an average of 12.9, which stands in until his Week 9 market posts.

The market-based projection for Isaiah Likely is 0.4 touchdowns (5 market sources).

That puts George Kittle 3.0 points ahead of Isaiah Likely on these projections.

Week 9 matchups

George Kittle and SF host LV on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

LV allowed 19.6 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 7 games, the 4th most in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 58 yards and 1.1 touchdowns a game against LV.

Isaiah Likely and NYG visit PHI on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

PHI allowed 10.5 fantasy points a game to TEs this season over 7 games, the 7th fewest in the league.

Tight ends caught passes for 43 yards and 0.3 touchdowns a game against PHI.

By points allowed to the position, George Kittle has the softer matchup.

Injury status

George Kittle is not on the injury report.

Isaiah Likely is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 9

Through Week 7, George Kittle played 78 percent of SF snaps, drew 22 percent of the targets, earned 21 percent of the air yards and had 15 percent of the red zone chances.

George Kittle, Week 4 against DEN: 60 of 66 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 70 yards, 1 touchdown.

George Kittle, Week 5 against SEA: 55 of 60 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 24 yards.

George Kittle, Week 6 against WAS: 55 of 62 snaps, 8 targets and 5 catches for 69 yards, 1 touchdown.

George Kittle, Week 7 against ATL: 60 of 66 snaps, 10 targets and 8 catches for 88 yards.

Through Week 7, Isaiah Likely played 76 percent of NYG snaps, drew 27 percent of the targets, earned 22 percent of the air yards and had 17 percent of the red zone chances.

Isaiah Likely, Week 4 against ARI: 44 of 67 snaps, 12 targets and 7 catches for 66 yards.

Isaiah Likely, Week 5 against WAS: 71 of 89 snaps, 13 targets and 11 catches for 94 yards, 2 touchdowns.

Isaiah Likely, Week 6 against NO: 70 of 77 snaps, 11 targets and 6 catches for 99 yards, 1 touchdown.

Isaiah Likely, Week 7 against HOU: 57 of 66 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 12 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, George Kittle played 11 games for SF and scored 161.5 PPR points, 14.7 a game, finishing TE13.

He caught 57 of 69 targets for 628 yards and 7 touchdowns, with 12 red zone targets and 376 air yards.

He was on the field for 80 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Isaiah Likely played 14 games for BAL and scored 61.7 PPR points, 4.4 a game, finishing TE45.

He caught 27 of 36 targets for 307 yards and 1 touchdown, with 6 red zone targets and 190 air yards.

He was on the field for 58 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 9 calls

• Start Brock Bowers over George Kittle.
• Start George Kittle over Dallas Goedert.
• Start George Kittle over Dalton Kincaid.
• Start Brock Bowers over Isaiah Likely.
• Start Colston Loveland over Isaiah Likely.
• Start Dallas Goedert over Isaiah Likely.