What the 49ers will do without George Kittle the next few weeks

This isn't good.

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers are going to be without George Kittle for the next couple of weeks due to a hamstring injury he sustained early in the Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks. While the team was hopeful it would not be serious, it is almost never a good idea to push a hamstring, so it should be no surprise that Kyle Shanahan declared Kittle out for the next couple of weeks.

George Kittle to miss multiple weeks for the San Francisco 49ers

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The good news is that Kittle did not immediately go on injured reserve. A serious hamstring injury could sideline a player as long as eight weeks, but that does not appear to be the case for Kittle, as the team is not quite ready to declare him missing four games.

In most cases, a mild hamstring injury can cause two to three games missed. Because Kittle is the type of player to return early, you could assume that is the maximum timeline as of now.

Still, it leaves them without one of their best weapons for games at the New Orleans Saints, vs. the Arizona Cardinals, and at the Jacksonville Jaguars.

So, the question is: how will they replace Kittle? The thought was that San Francisco could survive the lack of depth at wide receiver because of what Kittle brings to the table in the passing game, and now he is out.

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges (88) catches the ball for a touchdown being defended by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Jauan Jennings is not completely healthy either, so the team will not just be struggling to replace Kittle in the blocking game but also as a pass catcher.

The team is going to lean heavily on Luke Farrell in the next few weeks. They surprised many with how much they paid Farrell in free agency and their prioritization of him. Now, they are going to look for him to fill a massive void. He can do a decent job in the blocking game, but they are not going to get nearly the impact in the passing game.

Marques Valdes-Scantling was just signed a few weeks ago, and with Jauan Jennings potentially missing time, he may be asked to step up now that he has had time to adjust.

The team is also thankful they re-signed Kyle Juszczyk, who may have been taking a lighter role this year until the recent news. Of course, there was also Jake Tonges, who made a name for himself this week. The 49ers are going to look to a group effort to replace Kittle.