Over or Under 1,050.5 Receiving Yards for George Kittle in 2020?

Would you bet against him?

The over/under series is back in action with All-Pro tight end George Kittle as the focal point. It was only a matter of time before Kittle was brought up in this series. He is the 49ers' best player after all.

For this article, I will key in on the over/under for Kittle's receiving yards.

In 2019, Kittle racked up 1,053 receiving yards. If you look just at those numbers, you will scratch your head wondering why Kittle was voted an All-Pro. The fact is Kittle was able to reel in high numbers while having to block heavily at times. Not to mention he missed two games last season. Just imagine how much his numbers would have increased had he played those games.

DraftKings sportsbook has set Kittle's over/under for receiving yards at 1,050.5 in 2020. This may seem like a slight to Kittle, because they are basically saying he will be the same as last season. But unlike their over/under with Jimmy Garoppolo, the number set for Kittle is fair. 

It is a bit of a tough call, but taking the over of 1,050.5 yards is the direction I'll take.

The reason why it is a tough call is because he is George Kittle. His name is now recognizable to the average fan. If the average fan can recall his name, then what do you think opposing teams feel about him?

Obviously they will acknowledge he is the most threatening weapon on the 49ers' offense. Defenses will do everything in their power to keep him contained or even try to erase him. Better to let Deebo Samuel and the rest of the wide receivers beat you than to have Kittle truck defenders left and right.

San Francisco's wide receivers can detract from Kittle's receiving yards. 2020 is set to be the first season that the 49ers have a strong group at the wide-receiver position. That means Kyle Shanahan has bountiful options to spread the ball around with Garoppolo. 

They no longer have to try to force the ball to Kittle. Although, that sometimes isn't a bad idea because he is so elite. The 49ers' offense can finally find true balance, which will make their offense increasingly difficult to defend. 

Why I took the over is the same reason I listed earlier - he is George Kittle. 

While I can see why he wouldn't reach those numbers, especially considering he isn't a selfish player, Kittle missed two games and still racked up 1,053 yards. If he plays all 16 games, then there is no doubt in my mind that he will top that amount.

In fact, it would not shock me if he tops that number in the same amount of games he played last season. Do not forget that Garoppolo should be entering Year 2 at the very least a bit improved, which should help Kittle's case. And if the offensive line improves its pass protection, then Kittle will not be assigned to block as often. 

Whichever way you look at this, there are cases to be made on both sides of the over/under. It is just too tough to go against Kittle and doubt that he will eclipse 1,050 receiving yards.