88 Garrett Celek TE

Celek caught both of his targets for 22 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 30-27 win over the Lions.

Celek received half of the targets starter George Kittle received, but the former was the tight end to hit paydirt Week 2. The veteran wasn't targeted last week with the 49ers playing from behind and using fewer two-tight end sets. A similar situation could arise next week when San Francisco takes on the Chiefs' high-flying offense.

Celek did not receive a target in Sunday's loss to Minnesota.

With George Kittle (shoulder) cleared to start, Celek was pushed back into a backup/blocking role. The 30-year-old proved to be a capable starter at times last season, and he could poach some red-zone targets from Kittle, but the latter is clearly the tight end to own in San Francisco.

Celek will take over as the 49ers' primary tight end following the announcement that George Kittle (shoulder) will miss the remainder of the preseason.

Kittle suffered a separated shoulder in Thursday's preseason opener, but head coach Kyle Shanahan doesn't expect the injury to affect the tight end's status for the start of the regular season. Celek will take over as starter for the rest of the preseason, and he will assume a backup role Week 1 if Kittle returns on schedule. The 28-year-old scored a career high four touchdowns while splitting starting duties with his rookie counterpart last year, and he should still garner some red-zone looks in an offensive system that utilizes two tight ends regularly.

Tight ends coach Jon Embree expects both Celek and George Kittle to get targets in the red zone, Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee reports.

The two tight ends split snaps and targets in 2017, with both enjoying their most productive stretches of the season after Jimmy Garoppolo took over as the starting quarterback in Week 13. Kittle is the superior athlete and obvious breakout candidate, but the 30-year-old Celek has an advantage in experience, blocking and recent durability. While unlikely to establish much fantasy value of his own, Celek is relevant for the manner in which his own involvement could impact Kittle's. The 49ers had multiple tight ends on the field just 18.7 percent of the time last season, with Kyle Juszczyk leading all fullbacks in snaps.

Celek finished the 2017 campaign with 336 yards on 21 receptions and a career-high four touchdowns.

Celek began the year behind rookie George Kittle on the depth chart, but a myriad of minor injuries forced the rookie out of action mid-season and the veteran stepped up like he has in the past. In a five-game stretch between Weeks 10 and 14, Celek racked up 234 yards and a trio of touchdowns while taking over as the team's primary receiving tight end. The 29-year-old proved that he is more than just a blocking option and that he can be a fantasy-relevant option when called upon. That said, Kittle regained his starting job in the final weeks of the season, and he projects to start ahead of Celek yet again in 2018.