San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) said on Monday that he expects to return from his torn Achilles "well before November" while also saying he could play close to the 2026 regular-season opener, according to Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. Kittle tore his Achilles tendon in the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Jan. 11 and had successful surgery last week. Kittle's Achilles tear was a best-case scenario because he suffered a "clean tear." "They didn't have to drill into my heel," Kittle said. "And where the repair was, there's more blood flow. And so it takes some time off the recovery time." The 32-year-old only played in 11 regular-season games due to injuries in 2025, although he was the TE3 in half-PPR fantasy points per game (12.1), catching 57 passes for 628 yards and seven TDs. While Kittle is optimistic about his recovery, fantasy managers should expect him to miss potentially half the 2026 season.
Jan 20, 2026 12:48 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) underwent successful surgery to fix his torn right Achilles tendon on Wednesday, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. Kittle was placed on Injured Reserve on Wednesday and will miss the rest of the playoffs. Because his injury occurred so late in the year, too, the 32-year-old veteran almost certainly won't be ready for the start of the 2026 campaign this fall. In fact, he could end up missing the majority of next regular season after tearing his Achilles in the Wild-Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday. Going into this Saturday's NFC Divisional contest against the Seattle Seahawks, Jake Tonges will take over as the Niners' top pass-catching tight end. Kittle, a seven-time Pro Bowler, still has high-end TE1 upside when healthy, but durability concerns will drastically affect his 2026 fantasy value.
Jan 15, 2026 7:07 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced on Tuesday that star tight end George Kittle (Achilles) will have surgery to fix his torn Achilles tendon on Wednesday. Kittle tore his right Achilles tendon in Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild-Card round, so the team will be without him for the rest of the postseason and most likely the start of next season. He also missed time with injuries in 2025, but when healthy, he was a top-five fantasy TE in terms of half-PPR points per game (12.1) with 57 catches on 69 targets for 628 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 regular-season contests. The rest of the way, Jake Tonges will step in as San Fran's top pass-catching TE. In the win over the Chicago Bears on Dec. 28 without Kittle available, Tonges had seven catches for 60 yards and his fifth touchdown of the year.
Jan 13, 2026 7:03 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was officially diagnosed with a torn Achilles following Sunday's Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed. The superstar tight end suffered a non-contact injury while catching a pass during the second quarter. Video from the FOX broadcast appeared to show a pop in the back of Kittle's leg, and he was carted to the locker room in visible pain. The 49ers quickly ruled him out with an Achilles injury, and it was later confirmed to be a tear. The 32-year-old will now embark on a lengthy recovery process. Not only is he done for the 2025 playoffs, but he could miss the start of the 2026 regular season. If so, he'll likely drop several spots in the 2026 fantasy football draft tight end rankings. Jake Tonges should step up as the 49ers' top tight end for the rest of the playoffs before he becomes a restricted free agent in March. In the six games that Kittle missed during the regular season, Tonges totaled 29 catches, 269 yards, and three touchdowns. He caught just one pass for 14 yards in Kittle's absence this Sunday.
Jan 11, 2026 8:39 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (Achilles) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's playoff contest against the Philadelphia Eagles. The superstar tight end appeared to suffer a non-contact injury while catching a pass during the second quarter. Video from the FOX broadcast appeared to show a pop in the back of Kittle's leg, creating concern for a severe Achilles injury. He immediately reached for his lower leg, was in visible pain, and had to be carted to the locker room. The 32-year-old will now undergo additional testing as the 49ers work toward an official diagnosis. If the team's worst fears are confirmed, Kittle will likely miss the remainder of the 2025 NFL playoffs. Jake Tonges should earn more snaps in his absence. In the six games that Kittle missed during the regular season, Tonges totaled 29 catches, 269 yards, and three touchdowns. Tonges is a talented pass-catching tight end, but he doesn't come close to filling the enormous void left behind by Kittle's injury.
Jan 11, 2026 5:57 PM EST
Across 11 games played during the 2025 regular season, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle recorded 57 receptions for 628 yards and seven touchdowns on 69 targets. After an injury-marred start to the year, Kittle closed the season strong. Across seven games from Week 10 onwards, Kittle recorded at least 13.8 PPR fantasy points five times. In the Wild Card round, Kittle and the 49ers will face a tough test against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles' defense finished the regular season ranked fifth in yards per pass attempt allowed (6.4) and allowed the fewest passing touchdowns (14) of any team in the NFL. However, Kittle has proven throughout his nine-year NFL career that he's capable of producing against any opponent. He profiles as the number one tight end option for fantasy managers in playoff leagues in the Wild Card round.
Jan 11, 2026 3:00 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) has been cleared from the final injury report and will play on Wild-Card weekend on Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Kittle missed Week 17 with a sprained ankle, but he returned to play 95% of the offensive snaps in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks last Saturday. The expectation all along was that the 32-year-old veteran Pro Bowler would be good to go for the first round of the playoffs. The matchup isn't great -- the Eagles' defense allowed the second-fewest half-PPR points to opposing TEs this year -- but Kittle should still be considered one of the best options at the position in fantasy playoff formats. Kittle averaged 12.1 half-PPR points per game (third-most at TE) in his 11 regular-season contests.
Jan 9, 2026 4:51 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) was listed as a limited participant at practice again on Thursday, according to Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Kittle missed Week 17 with an ankle injury, but he returned in the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Seattle Seahawks to play 95% of the offensive snaps. The entire San Fran offense struggled mightily last Saturday night, though, and Kittle caught five passes for only 29 yards on seven targets. Barring a setback on Friday, Kittle should be fine to play in the Wild-Card round of the playoffs on Sunday at the Philadelphia Eagles, where he should be heavily targeted with receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) likely out. Kittle should be in play as one of the most expensive TEs in DFS action this weekend, even though the Eagles allowed the second-fewest half-PPR fantasy points per game to the position during the regular season.
Jan 8, 2026 5:57 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) will be a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. Kittle suffered an ankle injury in Week 16 and was held out of Week 17, but the 32-year-old Pro Bowler made his return for the Week 18 regular-season finale showdown against the Seattle Seahawks last Saturday night. He tied for the team lead in targets in the loss, catching five of his seven targets for only 29 yards in a game in which the Niners couldn't find the end zone at all. Kittle should be fine to play on Sunday in the Wild-Card playoff tilt against the hosting Philadelphia Eagles, and he'll have a good chance to bounce back if receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) misses a second straight game. Despite missing time with various lower-body injuries in 2025, Kittle averaged 12.1 half-PPR fantasy points per game. He should be one of the top TE targets for fantasy managers competing in playoff leagues this week.
Jan 7, 2026 3:18 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) is active ahead of Saturday's Week 18 matchup versus the Seattle Seahawks. Kittle is back in action this week after sitting out in Week 17 due to an ankle sprain. The expectation is that Kittle will have a full workload despite being limited in practice this week. Kittle is expected to see a larger target share with wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (ankle, knee) ruled out for Saturday's game. The 32-year-old is a must-start and is ranked second among all tight ends behind only Trey McBride in the latest RotoBaller rankings for Week 18.
Jan 3, 2026 6:59 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) is listed as questionable for Saturday night's game against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in Week 18, according to Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area. Kittle missed the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears with a mid-to-low ankle sprain, but he's feeling better and said this week that he "absolutely" plans to play on Saturday as the Niners seek the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC and a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Fantasy managers will want to check back on the 32-year-old's status on Saturday, but if he's active, as expected, he needs to be locked into all starting lineups. Kittle has found the end zone seven times in 10 games played in 20225, and in the first meeting against the Seahawks on Sept. 7, he had four catches for 25 yards and his first touchdown of the year.
Jan 1, 2026 6:13 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) said he "absolutely" expects to play on Saturday against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in Week 18, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. "Fabulous. Great position for Saturday night to punch a one seed. So just with that, I'm doing fantastic," Kittle said when asked how he feels this week. The 32-year-old sat out of the Week 17 win over the Chicago Bears with an ankle injury, but he has been limited in two practices this week and fully intends to play this weekend in a game that will decide the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the postseason. Backup TE Jake Tonges had a career game in the win over Chicago on Sunday night, but he'll revert to a bench role with Kittle expected to play on Saturday. Despite the tough matchup, fantasy managers will want to get Kittle back in their lineups in Week 18.
Jan 1, 2026 12:17 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) remains on an excellent track to play on Saturday against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. General manager John Lynch said on KNBR Radio on Wednesday that he'd be "very surprised" if Kittle didn't play in a game that will decide the No. 1 seed going into the NFC postseason. The 32-year-old veteran didn't practice at all last week and was ruled out for the Sunday night win over the Chicago Bears. He returned to a limited practice on Tuesday, though, and should play this weekend, barring a setback over the next two days. It's great news for a Niners offense that looked unstoppable in Week 17 on its way to putting up 40-plus points against Chicago. Despite a tough matchup, Kittle will be a must-start TE1 in fantasy if he's active in Week 18.
Dec 31, 2025 12:11 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) was a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. It's early in the week, but it's a good sign that Kittle is back on the practice field after missing all three practices last week and being ruled out for the Sunday night win over the Chicago Bears. The 32-year-old veteran might need to upgrade to a full practice before Thursday to avoid taking a questionable tag into Saturday night's divisional clash against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18, though. If Kittle returns for the contest that will decide the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff picture, he'll be a must-start TE1 in fantasy football lineups. In Kittle's absence in Week 17, Jake Tonges stepped up in a big way, securing seven catches for 60 yards and a touchdown on nine targets as one of quarterback Brock Purdy's favorite weapons.
Dec 30, 2025 7:31 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) is officially inactive for Sunday's Week 17 contest against the Chicago Bears. He had been listed as questionable, but the odds were stacked against him after he missed all three practices this past week. The 49ers left the door open for him to play, but after Kittle tested his ankle during pre-game warmups, the team decided to hold him out. It's a crushing blow for managers who were hoping to have the star tight end available as the fantasy playoffs continue. Instead, Jake Tonges will operate as the 49ers' top tight end. He's a viable replacement on Sunday Night Football, but his ceiling and floor are both lower than Kittle's. Tonges will rank as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end in his pass-catching role behind wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall.
Dec 28, 2025 7:04 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) is "highly unlikely" to play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football in Week 17, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Kittle had been listed as questionable, and while he was expected to be a game-time decision, it seemed like he was trending in the wrong direction after missing all three practices this past week. He has been the overall TE2 since Week 8, so his absence will be felt among fantasy managers and the 49ers. As most leagues host their fantasy championships this week, managers should look for replacement options ahead of time. There are plenty of waiver-wire or bench options who play in the afternoon windows of games. Managers who want to wait until Kittle is ruled out tonight could pivot to Jake Tonges (Sunday night) or Colby Parkinson (Monday night).
Dec 28, 2025 9:13 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) plans to test out his ankle pre-game ahead of the Week 17 matchup against the Chicago Bears. Kittle hasn't practiced all week due to an ankle injury, but is shaping up as a game-time decision. Fantasy managers will need to make a big decision, as this game doesn't start until 8:20 est. There's a good chance that Kittle's final status won't be known until about an hour before kickoff. If available, Jake Tonges could be worth stashing for fantasy managers waiting on Kittle's final status. Tonges should have an expanded role if Kittle is unable to go.
Dec 28, 2025 8:18 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) missed each of the team's practices this week and is officially questionable for the team's clash with the Bears in Week 17. Kittle is expected to be a game-time decision, and with the teams being showcased on Sunday Night Football, fantasy managers will be left with few other options should he be declared inactive. The timing couldn't be worse for managers who rode Kittle, who has averaged 20 PPR points per game since Week 10, to the fantasy championship round. Managers hoping to see Kittle take the field need to take out an insurance policy. Backup Jake Tonges connected with quarterback Brock Purdy for a go-ahead touchdown in Week 1, and he logged a 22-209-2 line during Kittle's five-week stint on injured reserve earlier this season. On the other side of the ball, Colston Loveland is another low-owned option worthy of consideration.
Dec 27, 2025 4:54 AM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) did not practice on Friday, and he's officially listed as questionable to play against the Chicago Bears in Week 17. The team expects Kittle to be a game-time decision, but the fact that he missed all three practices this week is very discouraging. Nevertheless, the door remains open for him to play. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, the 49ers play on Sunday Night Football, which means we won't get confirmation on his status until 28 of the 32 teams have played. If he's ruled out, fantasy managers will have trouble finding a last-minute replacement. With that said, his high upside may be worth the risk in some formats. Managers planning to roll the dice with Kittle should also add his backup, Jake Tonges, in case he's ruled out. Kittle, who is averaging the second-most fantasy points per game in PPR leagues, would rank as a high-end TE1 if active.
Dec 26, 2025 7:16 PM EST
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (ankle) will "likely be a game-time decision" for Sunday night's contest against the Chicago Bears, according to 49ers President of Football Operations and General Manager John Lynch. Kittle exited their Week 16 victory with a mid-to-low ankle sprain but remains in play to suit up this weekend. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his status during Friday's practice, as the star tight end was unable to take the practice field on Wednesday and Thursday. Before suffering the injury on Monday, Kittle turned in a stellar showing, catching seven of his eight passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Since Week 10, Kittle has averaged 20.0 PPR points per game and has found the back of the end zone five times. If Kittle were to sit out, Jake Tonges would carry viable streaming upside in deeper 14-team leagues as a risky TE2.
Dec 26, 2025 1:44 PM EST
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