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One of the biggest questions hanging over the San Francisco 49ers this season, if not the biggest, is when star tight end George Kittle will be back in action.
Kittle is one of the faces of this franchise. When he's on the field, it's electric, and points get on the board. When he's not, his absence is certainly felt.
On Tuesday, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report released a feature projecting when injured standout players will take the field with their respective NFL teams.
George Kittle could return in Week 1, but it's not likely
George Kittle has been activated from the PUP list, and he's still recovering from the torn Achilles that he suffered in January. That sets him on track to return sometime in September.
Kittle has been hoping to play in the 49ers' Week 1 opener against the Rams in Australia, but he recently acknowledged that missing one game wouldn't be a major setback. Given the long travel and odd circumstances for the Australia game, San Francisco could take a cautious approach and hold him out of Week 1. If so, he'll appear in Week 2 against the Dolphins.
But why wait? Kay thinks Kittle could actually return in Week 1, but it's way more likely that it'll be in Week 2.
"The team will settle back into a conventional routine after returning stateside, benefitting from a three-game homestand that begins with a Week 2 matchup against the Miami Dolphins," he states. "If he ends up sitting out Week 1, expect Kittle to make his 2026 debut during this contest."
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