The San Francisco 49ers are very short-handed as they take on the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday evening. They’re without starting quarterback Brock Purdy, wide receivers Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk, defensive end Nick Bosa and tight end George Kittle.
Purdy is missing his second game due to a toe injury, and he may miss the team’s next game on Oct. 12 versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Aiyuk, who tore his ACL and MCL in Week 7 of last season, isn’t close to returning, and Pearsall and Jennings have what appear to be more minor ailments.
Kittle sustained a hamstring injury in Week 1 versus the Seattle Seahawks. He was placed on injured reserve, which means the earliest he can return is in Week 6, and there is reportedly a “real chance” he will play in that contest, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.
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Kittle is arguably the NFL’s best tight end these days. Last season, he caught 78 passes for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns, and he was named to the Pro Bowl for the sixth time in eight seasons.
He plays a huge role in coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, which has historically been based on a lot of short passes and yards after the catch downfield.
Kittle has been a bit injury-prone over the years, but he has seldom missed games since coming into the NFL in 2017. He is one of the league’s more physical tight ends, and he loves to initiate contact with the football in his hands.
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This is the second year in a row the Niners have been hit hard by the injury bug. Last season, all the injuries they had to deal with eventually compounded and resulted in a 6-11 finish, which left them watching the playoffs at home.
But so far this season, they have found ways to win games despite being short-handed. They came into Thursday’s game with a 3-1 record, and as of this writing, they hold a 14-0 lead over the Rams in the second quarter.
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