Niners TE George Kittle missed practice with hamstring tightness Thursday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the TE's status for Sunday's game against the Rams "is in question."
2024 Fantasy Football Impact
We'll certainly keep an eye on Kittle up to Sunday (barring him being ruled out earlier). He has a history of playing through injuries, and HC Kyle Shanahan has said before that Kittle can play even without practice time leading up to games.
That said, the 49ers are likely to lean toward caution with a hamstring issue for a key player in Week 3.
The offense, of course, will already be missing RB Christian McCaffrey and WR Deebo Samuel. If Kittle sits, Eric Saubert would likely take over the lead TE role.
Other Winners & Losers
Brock Purdy already sat just 17th in our Week 3 QB rankings. Losing Kittle would only make him less attractive and likely further motivate San Francisco rushing volume.
WR Brandon Aiyuk and WR Jauan Jennings would gain target-share upside.
DFS Impact
Saubert will be worth a look for DraftKings contests, with a minimum salary of $2,500 on the main slate -- if Kittle sits.
Injury History: New Developments & Historical Context
Kittle's last recorded hamstring injury was in 2020 training camp. So this doesn't look like an especially worrisome issue beyond his immediate availability.