49ers' Charlie Woerner: No involvement in passing game
Rotowire
Woerner wasn't targeted while playing 17 of the 49ers' 70 snaps on offense in Sunday's 13-0 win over the Saints.
With double-digit snaps in both of the past two games, Woerner appears to have seized hold of the No. 2 tight end role ahead of Ross Dwelley, who has played 10 snaps combined over that same stretch. Even so, starter George Kittle continues to dominate the reps at the position, leaving little room for Woerner to carve out a role. Even if Kittle misses time with an injury like he did earlier in the season, Woerner is expected to be deployed almost exclusively as a blocker. Woerner has drawn just two targets over 160 offensive snaps this season.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: No targets in Week 5
Rotowire
Woerner went without a target across 21 offensive snaps in Sunday's 37-15 win over the Panthers.
Any window of opportunity Woerner had to carve out a meaningful role in the 49ers' passing attack closed when top tight end George Kittle returned to action Week 3 following a two-game absence to begin the season. Even in the two games Kittle missed, Woerner went without a target. The 49ers continue to essentially view the 6-foot-5, 241-pound Woerner as an extra lineman; he's ran just 10 routes on 98 snaps on offense this season.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: Activated off active/PUP list
Rotowire
The 49ers activated Woerner (abdomen) from the active/PUP list Sunday.
Woerner underwent offseason core muscle surgery and started training camp on the PUP list. Now healthy, the 2020 sixth-round pick will compete with Tyler Kroft and Ross Dwelley for limited playing time behind George Kittle.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: On PUP list before camp
Rotowire
San Francisco placed Woerner (abdomen) on the PUP list Tuesday, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Apparently Woerner recently underwent core muscle surgery, and he presumably still needs time to recover from that. He did see three starts in 2021 after George Kittle went down with a calf injury, but he'll fight Tyler Kroft and Ross Dwelley for scraps behind Kittle in 2022 assuming he's ready to go by the start of the regular season.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: Little usage as backup
Rotowire
Woerner had five receptions for 52 yards across 17 games during the 2021 regular season.
Woerner took over backup duties behind George Kittle early in the season, but the slight shift up the depth chart did not result in more usage offensively. The 23-year-old did make three starts in place of Kittle, but he was primarily used as a blocker and recorded just four receptions over that three-game span. Woerner will still be under team control for 2022, and he will serve a similar backup role if kept on the 53-man roster.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: Posts 11 yards in win
Rotowire
Woerner caught his lone target for 11 yards in Sunday's 34-26 win over the Vikings.
Woerner recorded his first reception since George Kittle returned from IR a couple of games back. While both tight ends finished with similar disappointing stat lines, don't let the production indicate any sort of time share at the tight end position in San Francisco. Kittle recorded 65 offensive snaps (93 percent) while Woerner was limited to 19 snaps (27 percent). The latter does not carry any fantasy value heading into a matchup against Seattle.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: One catch in start
Rotowire
Woerner started and logged 45 snaps on offense (80 percent) in Sunday's 33-22 win over the Bears, finishing with one catch on two targets for seven yards.
Woerner continued to serve as the 49ers' starting tight end, but his usage was limited to mainly blocking for Elijah Mitchell. George Kittle (calf) is eligible to come off injured reserve next week against the Cardinals, and all signs are pointing toward that happening. Whenever the star tight end does end up returning, Woerner will return to backup and special teams duties.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: Gets start in loss
Rotowire
Woerner started and logged 30 offensive snaps (54 percent) Sunday, finishing with two receptions (two targets) for 30 yards in a 30-18 loss to the Colts.
Woerner took over for Ross Dwelley (27 snaps) as the 49ers' temporary starting tight end while George Kittle (calf) mends on injured reserve. Neither player made much noise from a fantasy perspective, and that's likely to remain the same in next week's tilt against the Bears.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: Gets first taste of pro action
Rotowire
Woerner appeared in 14 games for the 49ers during the 2020 season, finishing with three receptions for 36 yards and no touchdowns.
Injuries to San Francisco's top two tight ends opened up some sparse playing time for the rookie. Most of Woerner's time on the 53-man roster was spent on special teams, but he impressed his position coaches as early as training camp with his combination of size and speed (similar to what another late-round tight end, George Kittle, did before exploding into a star in San Francisco). It would be a stretch to assume Woerner could replicate Kittle's rise to stardom, but the 22-year-old does fit the profile of this next generation of tight ends who possess plus athleticism at the position. Woerner could jump as high as second on the depth chart for the 49ers in 2021, but for now, he will be a fantasy afterthought until he gets an opportunity to prove himself.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: Returns from COVID-19 list
Rotowire
Woerner was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday.
Woerner missed the last two games while on the list. He'll be available for the season finale against Seattle. It's tough to project how he'll be utilized with position mates George Kittle, Jordan Reed and Ross Dwelley all healthy for the first time since Week 1.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: Catches first passes
Rotowire
Woerner caught both his targets for 33 yards during Monday's 34-24 loss to Buffalo.
The rookie sixth-round pick played a season-high 15 offensive snaps and secured the first two receptions of his career. Jordan Reed and Ross Dwelley each played more than 50 percent of the offensive snaps, and Woerner should continue to work as San Francisco's No. 3 tight end.
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49ers' Charlie Woerner: San Francisco snags in sixth
Rotowire
The 49ers selected Woerner in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, 190th overall.
Woerner played a part-time role during his four-year collegiate tenure at Georgia, mostly seeing utilization as a lead blocker. Due to Woerner's bulk (6-foot-5, 244 pounds) and willingness to embrace contact, he has a shot at earning a role as a blocker in the run game for San Francisco.
