The 49ers list George Kittle as their starting tight end, but coach Kyle Shanahan admits which tight end is in the game depends on matchups. Kittle is expected to get the snaps of a starter, with blocking specialist Logan Paulsen and Garrett Celek also getting playing time at the position.
However, Kittle has aggravated a hamstring injury.
“We will consider down and distance, how healthy he is,” Shanahan said of the starting job, via the team’s audio stream of his Wednesday press conference. “He’s another guy who will be limited today. We’ve got three guys on our roster [at the position], so we’ll see how that plays out throughout the week. We won’t know how that plays out until Sunday.”
Kittle, a fifth-round pick out of Iowa, won the starting job after the 49ers traded Vance McDonald to the Steelers last week. Kittle’s work with the starting offense since the draft convinced the 49ers he was ready.
He appears the ideal fit for the “move” tight end in Shanahan’s offense.
