After already clinching a playoff berth, the San Francisco 49ers (11-4) are battling for seeding in the NFC as they get set to take on the Chicago Bears (11-4) in a prime-time affair in Week 17. The 49ers currently hold the tiebreaker over their NFC West divisional foes, the Los Angeles Rams, for a slight edge in the wild card race.
Leading up to kickoff of Sunday’s pivotal contest, the status of one of San Francisco’s top offensive weapons is up in the air. 49ers star TE George Kittle is dealing with an ankle sprain and is currently being listed as questionable. When could the team make a determination on Kittle’s status ahead of Sunday’s game (8:20 p.m. ET on NBC)?
Let’s take a closer look at a George Kittle injury update and what it could mean in relation to the fantasy outlook for the 49ers on Sunday Night Football. We’ll also tie in some PrizePicks player projections for Bears vs. 49ers.
George Kittle Injury Update: Will He Play on Sunday vs. Bears?
Kittle suffered a low-to-mid ankle sprain in San Francisco’s 48-28 win vs. the Colts on Monday. The 49ers still listed him as questionable despite him failing to participate in any of the team’s three subsequent practice sessions.
Earlier this week, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan seemed optimistic that Kittle would eventually practice and ultimately play against the Bears. However, Kittle failed to do so and could be a game-time decision for the Week 17 contest, per The San Francisco Standard’s David Lombardi.
Kittle has been limited to 10 games this season after suffering a hamstring injury back in Week 1 and missing over a month of action as a result.
49ers’ Fantasy Football Outlook for Week 17 vs. Bears
When Kittle was out of the lineup with that hamstring injury, the 49ers were forced to turn to TE Jake Tonges.
While veteran TE Luke Farrell is actually listed above Tonges on the depth chart, San Francisco figures to utilize Tonges as its top TE option if Kittle is out. Throughout the season, Tonges has logged 27 receptions for 233 yards and 4 TDs.
When Kittle was out from Weeks 2-6, Tonges recorded 22 receptions for 209 yards and 2 TDs. He registered at least 4 catches in three of those outings.
Replacing Kittle will certainly be a tall task. According to SumerSports, he owns a 21.16% target share, which is the fifth-highest percentage among TEs. In addition, the Bears are allowing 5.8 receptions per contest and 53.5 yards per game to the position this season, per FantasySP.
As of Saturday night, Kittle carried a PrizePicks projection of 1.5 Rush + Receiving TDs (Demon). Both Tonges and Farrell have projections for 0.5 Rush + Receiving TDs (Demons).
Make Bears vs. 49ers Picks on PrizePicks
In a crucial Sunday Night Football showdown, San Francisco could be without one of its top pass catchers. Regardless, there are several other Bears vs. 49ers projections that football fans can take advantage of.
With PrizePicks, getting in on the action is simple. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and earn real money if you’re right.
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