San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle did not practice on Thursday and was added to the team’s injury report due to a hamstring injury. His status for Sunday’s Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Rams is in question, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Additionally, cornerback Charvarius Ward missed practice due to hamstring and knee issues and was on San Francisco’s injured list. Ward has not missed a game since joining the 49ers in 2023. Deommodore Lenoir or Renardo Green could take his place. Safety Talanoa Hufanga is expected to make his season debut after suffering a torn ACL.
Kittle and Ward join receivers Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey among the 49ers players injured. Samuel is out with a calf injury and is expected to miss “a couple of weeks,” according to coach Kyle Shanahan. McCaffrey is on the injured list and is out at least two games with Achilles tendonitis and a stiff calf.
In Week 2’s 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Kittle had seven catches for 76 yards and a touchdown. In two games this season, he has 11 receptions (on 13 targets) for 116 yards, second in both categories among 49ers pass-catchers.
If Kittle is unable to play, it would be the sixth straight season in which he misses at least one game. The All-Pro tight end last played a full season in 2018, when the regular season was 16 games long.
Eric Saubert would get the start in place of Kittle. The eight-year veteran is in his first season with the 49ers and has two receptions for 26 yards so far. He previously played for the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans.
