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Friday PM update: George Kittle has been downgraded to out against the Giants, per Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury. Jordan Reed will fill in for the second week and has fantasy football appeal.
Friday AM update: Kyle Shanahan announced on his regular Friday radio appearance that George Kittle is a game-time decision with his knee sprain and bone bruise. I don’t expect him to play, but we’ll see if things change between now and Sunday.
Thursday AM update: Kittle is dealing with a knee sprain, but now it turns out he is also dealing with a bone bruise, according to NFL Network. This would seem to make it that much more likely Kittle will not be playing in Week 3.
The San Francisco 49ers are back at practice on Wednesday to open Week 3, and tight end George Kittle is expected to return in limited fashion, according to Jennifer Chan. Kyle Shanahan met with the media before practice and confirmed the news.
Kittle injured his knee in Week 1 and it was diagnosed as a sprain. Knee sprains can cost a player multiple weeks, but the 49ers have pushed the notion that Kittle might only need to miss one game. He stayed in Santa Clara when the 49ers went to play the New York Jets, and then flew to West Virginia to meet the team at the hotel they’re staying out before playing the New York Giants in New Jersey in Week 3.
The 49ers had a lot of issues with the MetLife Stadium turf conditions in Week 2, and came out of the game with significant injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo, Raheem Mostert, Tevin Coleman, Nick Bosa, and Solomon Thomas. That group of players is expected to miss Sunday’s game, and given the return to the proverbial “scene of the crime” one has to wonder if the 49ers will risk Kittle aggravating his knee on a surface they don’t like.
Jordan Reed started in Kittle’s place and scored two touchdowns in his first NFL action since 2018. If you have Reed as your fantasy tight end, there’s a good chance he’ll have another opportunity this week. If you have Kittle, you should plan on not having him available on Sunday.