The 49ers were obliterated by the injury bug before the regular season even arrived. Ahead of Thursday, September 10’s battle vs. the Rams at 8:35 p.m. ET on Netflix, San Francisco is finally getting some good injury news.
After tearing his Achilles in January, Niners TE George Kittle has consistently made progress toward a Week 1 return. Is Kittle expected to play in the regular-season opener tonight?
Below, we’ll look at the latest George Kittle injury update, outlining the impact on fantasy football picks and Week 1 player projections for PrizePicks.
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George Kittle Injury Update: Is Kittle Playing in Week 1 vs. Rams?
On Sunday, Kittle was checking most of the boxes to return from injury in Week 1.
In late August, head coach Kyle Shanahan commented that Kittle had “taken a step back” from returning from injury. We’ve since learned Shanahan may have misspoke, meaning to say Kittle took a step forward.
Kittle poked fun at Shanahan’s comment on Tuesday, “Body feels really good. It’s bounced back really good. I’d say I’ve really taken a step back… towards playing.”
He traveled with the team to Australia, followed by two limited practice sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday, per the 49ers’ injury report.
All signs have been pointing toward Kittle making a miraculous full recovery from a torn Achilles in only eight months. Kittle labeled the injury as “best-case scenario” back in January due to a clean tear in a favorable spot.
As most expected, Kittle was officially taken off the injury report on Thursday morning.
Kittle is a crucial add to a thin passing game, as WR Rick Pearsall (knee) is out for the season. Plus, WR Christian Kirk (calf) is on injured reserve and will miss at least four games.
Let’s break down how Kittle can impact the 49ers offense vs. the Rams tonight.
George Kittle Week 1 Projections & Fantasy Football Outlook
With RB Christian McCaffrey and EDGE Nick Bosa also taken off the injury report, the 49ers suddenly have a puncher’s chance as 3.5-point underdogs vs. the Rams, per PrizePicks. The addition of Bosa is especially key after DT Alfred Collins (knee) sustained a season-ending injury this week.
Perhaps the 49ers are in line for success to open the 2026 season, and if that’s the case, Kittle should be a part of the equation. Here’s a look at some of his projections via PrizePicks for tonight’s battle with Los Angeles.
- 34.5 Receiving Yards
- 0.5 Player TDs (Demon)
- 3.5 Receptions
- 9 Fantasy Score
Over 11 games in 2025, Kittle posted 5.2 receptions, 57.1 receiving yards, and 0.6 receiving TDs per game. While that’s in line to surpass these projections, several factors could be working against Kittle.
First, he comes off a major injury and will likely be featured in limited snaps. The Athletic’s Matt Barrows stated last week that Kittle wasn’t likely to touch a 95.0% snap share in Week 1.
In his only head-to-head meeting with the Rams last season, the veteran tight end logged 9 catches for 84 receiving yards, 1 TD, and 23.4 fantasy points in PPR leagues.
However, Los Angeles made serious upgrades to its defense by trading for EDGE Myles Garrett and CB Trent McDuffie. The former Chiefs corner is a two-time All-Pro, while Garrett is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and comes off an NFL record 23.0-sack season.
The Rams are likely to improve from allowing 21.3 PPG (10th) and 5.2 yards per play (14th) in the 2025 season. This matchup is reflected in FantasyPros’ weekly rankings, which place Kittle as TE9 in Week 1.
When healthy, Kittle was an excellent fantasy football TE with 14.7 fantasy points per game (TE2) in 2025. But a potentially limited role against a strong defense could limit Kittle’s production.
Add George Kittle to your PrizePicks lineup now.
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Make 49ers vs. Rams Picks on PrizePicks
The 49ers finally got good news with the latest George Kittle injury update. With the veteran tight end back in the lineup following a torn Achilles, how could Kittle perform in Week 1’s collision with the Rams in Australia?
In the 49ers vs. Rams game on Thursday, you can make picks on the winner, spread, and over/under on PrizePicks Team Picks, now available in 36 states. With PrizePicks, just pick players and predict More or Less on their stats!
Keep it locked in here with the Playbook for continued NFL picks, predictions, and news all season long.
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