Three Crucial 49ers Miss the First Week 18 Practice

Kyle Shanahan delivered great news on George Kittle, but bad news on these three 49ers starters.

Nov 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; The San Francisco 49ers huddle up after the break during the second half against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Great news for the San Francisco 49ers.

George Kittle returned to practice on Tuesday in a limited capacity. Kittle missed the game against the Chicago Bears due to an ankle sprain suffered in the win against the Indianapolis Colts.

It seems the week off helped Kittle out a lot. Although the fact that he's being limited in practice means he's still not fully fit. But Kittle isn't going to sit out another game barring his ankle worsening.

If he can sustain a limited participation the rest of the week, he should be active in the pivotal matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. However, there was also bad news on the 49ers' injury report.

Kyle Shanahan revealed that three crucial 49ers will be out of practice on Tuesday.

Trent Williams

Nov 16, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco 49ers tackle Trent Williams (71) interacts with fans during the second half against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

It isn't surprising that Trent Williams missed Tuesday's practice. He injured his hamstring in the very beginning against the Bears and wouldn't return.

There's no telling how severe his injury is. The 49ers aren't big on revealing those details. However, a hamstring is always a complicated issue for any player.

Williams will need to register at least one practice participated in to have a shot at playing on Saturday night. But it's unlikely he suits up given the short timeframe to recover.

Austen Pleasants would get the nod to start. He did a fine job filling in for Williams, but he will have a tougher task against Seattle's fierce defensive front.

Christian McCaffrey

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) runs for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the first half at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

A surprising name that missed practice is Christian McCaffrey. Now, he and Williams typically miss the first practice anyways as a vet day. However, McCaffrey was listed with a back injury.

Shanahan didn't report in the postgame against the Bears that he was hurt. But this was an injury that McCaffrey randomly sustained the day before the 49ers played the Tennessee Titans.

This shouldn't be viewed as much of a concern. Given his workload, it makes sense that he's sore. Even if McCaffrey misses another practice, there shouldn't be a panic for him to play against Seattle.

Kyle Juszczyk

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk (44) warms up before the game against the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

It would be brutal for the 49ers to be without Kyle Juszczyk against the Seahawks. He missed Tuesday's practice with a hip injury suffered against the Bears.

Similar to McCaffrey, he was not mentioned in the postgame as an injured player. This means he felt it the day after or on Tuesday. Either way, it's an injury to keep an eye on.

Although I wouldn't imagine Juszczky will be inactive against the Seahawks. He's probably still playing with cracked ribs, so unless it's something severe, he's going to play through the pain.

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