Over the course of his career, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle has been a frequent member of the injury report. Yet, he has mostly avoided serious injuries, playing through a series of minor ones. While that does appear to be the case once again, this latest injury is likely to cost Kittle at least one game.
What Is George Kittle’s Injury?
For most of this season, Kittle has been on the injury report. Fortunately, he’s only missed one game (Week 3) to this point. However, it appears that Kittle is set to miss his second game of the season, as he is dealing with what is being described as “hamstring irritation.”
It’s the first time I’ve heard a hamstring injury described in that particular way. If there is a silver lining to this, it’s that Kittle may not be dealing with an actual strain, which could cost him multiple weeks.
Kittle was able to practice on a limited basis both Thursday and Friday, which put him on track to play. Yet, clearly, the injury is significant enough that the team doesn’t think he can go this week.
Is Kittle Playing in Week 11?
The midnight Adam Schefter tweets have a 99% accuracy rate. Therefore, Kittle is almost certainly not going to play in Week 11.
49ers TE George Kittle, who is questionable for Sunday's game due to a hamstring injury, is unlikely to play vs. the Seahawks, per sources.
The 49ers want to see how Kittle is feeling pregame before making any final decision, per sources. But they are not optimistic that their… pic.twitter.com/MuBn2Suh9l— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 17, 2024
On the positive side, the fact that Kittle is testing out the injury pregame just to be sure indicates this is unlikely to be a long-term issue. It suggests he is at least close to playing and quite possibly would play if this were a playoff game.
We should be cautiously optimistic that Kittle will be able to return in Week 12 after just a one-game absence.
How Will Kittle’s Absence Impact the 49ers if Ruled Out?
The 49ers have been incredibly unlucky with injuries this season. The closest they’ve gotten to having their entire offense healthy was last week when Christian McCaffrey returned alongside Deebo Samuel Sr., Jauan Jennings, and Kittle. Four of their five main guys isn’t bad, with Brandon Aiyuk done for the year.
After just one week together, though, the 49ers will be without Kittle for at least one game.
With Kittle out, Eric Saubert will operate as San Francisco’s primary TE. However, he’s not on the fantasy radar.
Given that we know Kittle won’t play well before the games start, fantasy football managers should adjust their lineups assuming Schefter’s report is correct. If you need a replacement TE from a guy playing at 1 p.m., do not hold out hope for Kittle.
As for the 49ers’ offense, don’t expect them to utilize their tight ends the same way. When one of their key weapons is out, the touches tend to consolidate around the healthy guys.
The biggest beneficiary should be Jennings, who will now handle more of those underneath targets. San Francisco may also elect to throw the ball to McCaffrey more.
Samuel’s role should change the least. He’ll have a few plays specifically designed for him, but otherwise will be reliant on splash plays to produce.
Kittle’s absence does increase Ricky Pearsall’s streamer value. Pearsall moves up to fourth on the target hierarchy and has already shown an ability to make plays in his short time in the NFL.
Ricky Pearsall goes 46 yards for his first career TD!
📺: #SFvsTB on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/R7zjs0naAm— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024