Schefter: No setbacks for George Kittle (Achilles)

Brock Purdy tried to get Kittle involved early in the contest, but it was the one legitimate option that Purdy wasn’t able to find success with. It’s amazing that the 32-year-old was even able to play in this game considering he tore his Achilles in January, but it is also fair to say it was a fantasy dud. Expect better things going forward for Kittle, and the next chance comes in Week 2 against a not-so-great Dolphins defense.

Kittle has made a remarkably quick recovery from the Achilles tear he suffered in the Wild Card Round. He is good to go just eight months later, and all reports out of training camp said he still looks as explosive as ever. We will need to see what he looks like in live action to confirm that, but it’s an impressive recovery nonetheless. Kittle could be on a snap count this week as the 49ers ramp him up to full speed, dropping him lower in the fantasy rankings than normal. He is a low-end TE1 for the 49ers’ Australia showdown with the Rams.

Kittle gets in another limited practice ahead of the 49ers’ Week 1 Australia game against the Rams. We expect him to continue to get limited practices in beyond this week as the 32-year-old nurses his Achilles. Also limited was FB Kyle Juszczyk (finger). Both are still in line to play this week.

Kittle continues to work his way back from an Achilles tear in January and is seemingly on track to play Week 1. He practiced on Monday and gets in a limited practice again on Tuesday. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak was confident in Kittle’s availability this week, saying the 32-year-old looked good while the team practices in Australia. The entire 49ers offense practiced in some capacity Tuesday. Kittle’s chances of playing are trending upward; he’s a low-end TE1 if he plays against the Rams this week.

Asked whether Kittle would play in Week 1, 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said, “We have two more practices, but Kittle looks good.” That was not as explicit as defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’ quote on Nick Bosa’s expected status just minutes earlier, but it certainly seems to confirm mounting reports that Kittle is on track to suit up for Week 1. Kubiak added at the end of his response that Kittle’s “workload will be determined,” also reinforcing earlier reports that the team was likely to monitor his snap rate closely. Fantasy managers are likely better off taking a wait-and-see approach with Kittle until he has proven to be capable of a normal workload.

Kittle was on the field on Monday when the Niners took the field to begin prepping for their Week 1 opener against the Rams in Australia. The veteran tight end has long been expected to have a shot to play in Thursday’s game, so the fact that he was on the field doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Kittle was able to log a few practices last week, but could be on a bit of a pitch count in his first game since suffering a torn Achilles in mid-January. Assuming he is limited in some capacity, Kittle should be viewed as a boom/bust TE1 for fantasy purposes.

While Barrows’ statement is agreeable, it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. The 32-year-old tight end is returning from an Achilles tendon rupture and was a close call to even make the trip to Australia, so a snap count of sorts makes sense. For fantasy managers who can afford to take a wait-and-see approach, it might be worthwhile. He has reportedly had a great recovery and his resumé is as good as it gets at the tight end position. He will likely be ranked as a low-end TE1 by default in Week 1 against the Rams.

This, according to Rapoport, comes after “two positive days” of practice for the veteran tight end, coming off a late-season Achilles injury. Kittle is “trending in the right direction” to play against the Rams in the first game of the NFL season, and the first-ever game in Australia. It’s possible the 49ers will have a pitch count for Kittle coming into the season. If he suits up against the Rams, Kittle will be a risky low-end TE1 option in 12-team leagues. He had nine catches for 84 yards and a touchdown in his only game against LA in 2025.

It has been reported multiple times this offseason that Kittle could have a chance to be ready in time for the 49ers’ Week 1 game against the Rams in Australia. The decision to activate him from the PUP list on Sunday is the most encouraging sign we have seen to date that a Week 1 return is possible, as the team will now prepare to ramp him up in the coming weeks to see how his surgically repaired Achilles holds up. Kittle underwent surgery to repair his Achilles in mid-January, so he’s just over seven months removed from a surgery that typically sidelines players for 9-12 months. The 32-year-old tight end would be a welcome addition to a receiving corps that’s been decimated by injuries in camp, so his progress will be something to monitor in the weeks ahead.

This is just Maiocco’s “guess,” so his comments should not be taken as a declaration. Maiocco recently spoke with Kittle. They discussed the 32 hours of in-flight time to and from the 49ers’ Week 1 game in Australia, along with Kittle’s desire to be healthy for the full 2026 season. The 49ers have Super Bowl aspirations, so hurrying a star player back in time for an international season opener might not make sense. Delaying his 2026 debut to Week 2 adds 10 days to Kittle’s rehab schedule. The extra time could be hugely beneficial. The veteran tight end is a TE1, regardless of his Week 1 availability.