SANTA CLARA -- Quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be limited Friday when the 49ers hold a two-hour practice with the Houston Texans, 49ers coach Chip Kelly said.
Kaepernick is dealing with "arm fatigue" that could prompt the 49ers to adjust their plan for his availability for the team's exhibition opener in Sunday.
"His throwing shoulder, just from the accumulation of what we've doing, is a little sore," Kelly said. "So we're going to monitor that."
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Kaepernick was fully padded on the practice field at the beginning of Friday's session. But he did not throw any passes during individual drills.
Kaepernick, who shared first- and second-team snaps with Blaine Gabbert through the first nine practices, was given a “planned rest day” on Thursday, when the 49ers went through a light, 60-minute practice.
[MAIOCCO: 49ers to gauge themselves in practice with Texans]
"Our guys have thrown somewhere between 86 and 102 balls a day," Kelly said. "Just getting him back up to throwing every day, that's why we planned on having him take yesterday off. We knew that going in. He didn't throw in the spring full.
San Francisco 49ers
"He's trying to get his arm back up to where we can use them every day."
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Kelly spoke to the media Friday morning, just minutes before the team's scheduled practice at 10:25 a.m.
Kaepernick lined up approximately 10 yards behind the quarterback during 7-on-7 and team drills and shadowed the movements of the quarterbacks on those plays during Thursday's practice. He did the same thing during the 49ers’ offseason program while he was rehabbing from surgeries on his left shoulder (non-throwing), right thumb and left knee.
The 49ers will play the Texans on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium in the first exhibition game for both teams.
Kelly previously said both quarterbacks will receive equal time with the first-team offense until he makes a decision who will start the regular-season opener on Sept. 12 against the Los Angeles Rams. But, now, those plans could be adjusted due to Kaepernick's arm.