San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle did not practice Thursday and was placed on the team’s injured list with a hamstring strain, and is questionable for Sunday’s Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Rams, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Additionally, cornerback Charvarius Ward did not practice and was placed on San Francisco’s injured list with hamstring and knee issues. Ward has not missed a game since joining the 49ers in 2023. Deomoire Lenoir or rookie Leonardo Green could take his place. Safety Talanoa Hufanga is expected to make his season debut after returning from a torn ACL.
Kittle and Ward are among the 49ers’ injured players, along with receivers Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey. Samuel is expected to miss “several weeks” with a calf strain, coach Kyle Shanahan said. McCaffrey is on injured reserve and will miss at least two more games with Achilles tendinitis and calf strain.
Kittle had seven catches for 76 yards and a touchdown in a 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. In two games this season, he has 11 catches (13 targets) for 116 yards, good for second among 49ers pass catchers in both categories.
If Kittle is unable to play, it will mark his sixth consecutive year missing at least one game. The last time the All-Pro tight end played a full season was in 2018, when the regular-season schedule was still 16 games.
Starting in place of Kittle will be Eric Saubert, an eighth-year veteran who has two receptions for 26 yards in his first season with the 49ers. Saubert has previously played for the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans.
The Rams will also be without two of their offensive stars in Week 3 as receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua will miss multiple games.
