The 49ers sit at 4-1 after an overtime road win vs. the Rams, leaning on depth and continued growth from a rising playmaker. Jake Tonges has seized the moment since Week 1, piling up catches and three TDs while San Francisco navigates injuries and a shifting role for its pass catchers. A Week 7 return for George Kittle looms, yet Tonges remains a focal point in a creative, adaptable offense.

With Tonges’ undrafted background from Los Gatos and Cal, his ascent adds a compelling fantasy narrative: reliable hands, run-blocking growth, and red-zone value in a Shanahan system that can deploy multiple weapons. The arc from Bears practice squad to a breakout 49ers asset is a spotlight moment for dynasty and redraft plan.

San Francisco edged Los Angeles 26-23 in OT after a clutch fourth-down stand, underscoring the 49ers’ resilience and the depth of their offense as injuries linger. Minnesota stunned the travel woes with Addison delivering a late TD surge in London, while Cleveland’s Dillon Gabriel showed poise in his first NFL start and Quinshon Judkins kept the ground game productive. Puka Nacua piled up targets for the Rams, and Kendrick Bourne broke out as San Francisco’s top option in a receiver-thin week for the club.

Kittle, Purdy, and the rest of San Francisco’s attack are rounding into form as health improves, but special-teams miscues and ball security remain focal for LA. The Week 5 slate highlighted the volatility and upside across fantasy rosters, with immediate implications for Week 6 lineups.

The 49ers’ Week 5 win over the Rams rode on a chaotic OT stop after a steady defensive push and a late, gritty performance by the squad’s supporting cast. Mykel Williams didn’t post a stat line but drew the eye with a game-changing edge step that opened the winning path for Warner, while Marques Sigle and Deommodore Lenoir held the back end together in a tense finish. Offensively, SF leaned on McCaffrey’s blocking and Purdy’s health narrative, with Mac Jones stepping in as a surprise producer in the quarterback shuffle. Trade chatter swirls around Hendrickson as the front office weighs a playoff push, and the team braces for Kittle’s potential absence while Malik Mustapha nears return. Fantasy takeaway: depth and health emerge as pivotal in a league where one big name can be out, one backup can step up, and defensive pressure can tilt outcomes in high-leverage moments.

Shanahan’s crew showed resilience, especially up front and in coverage, highlighting the IDP and streaming options for Week 6. Williams’ quiet stat line belies a fingerprints-on-the-game impact, while Sigle’s 13 tackles underscore the importance of safeties who can mix run support with coverage. The QB landscape remains fluid: Purdy’s health versus Jones’ hot run creates a dual-path for fantasy rosters, with Hendrickson potentially altering the defensive ceiling if a trade materializes. Monitor Kittle’s status, monitor Purdy’s health, and keep a pulse on the 49ers’ evolving depth chart as the schedule thickens.

George Kittle missed the rest of Week 1 with a hamstring injury and is headed to injured reserve, sidelining him for at least four games. He logged 4 targets, 4 receptions, 25 yards, and a touchdown before exiting, underscoring the 49ers’ reliance on him when healthy. San Francisco will lean on the TE trio of Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges to fill the void as Brock Purdy adjusts his target distribution.

Fantasy managers must rethink Kittle’s lofty ADP (around 34 overall) and pivot to plausible Week 2 waiver adds like Hunter Henry, Zach Ertz, Jonnu Smith, or Juwan Johnson, who could soak up extra work. The 49ers’ next stretch runs through Week 7, with a schedule that includes Saints, Cardinals, Jaguars, Rams, and Buccaneers, before Kittle’s return timeline, which Aaron-adjudicated sources suggest is more likely Week 7 than Week 6.

With Kittle out, Purdy’s tight end targets widen, and the 49ers’ offense will ramp up the run game and screen passes to compensate. Depth at tight end becomes a nightly decision point for fantasy rosters, and the waiver wire will be the battleground for Week 2 and beyond.