Projected 49ers Week 1 starting lineup halfway through 2018 preseason
By Peter Panacy
Tight End
Garrett Celek
This is more of a hunch and contingency plan than anything else, but veteran Garrett Celek opens up 2018 as the 49ers’ starter at tight end.
The main reason is the presumed starter, second-year pro George Kittle, is working his way back from a separated shoulder he suffered during Week 1 of the preseason against Dallas. All indications are he should be OK by the start of the regular season, however, which is great news for Kyle Shanahan and the Niners offense.
Still, Shanahan will likely want to limit the number of snaps Kittle sees right out of the gate. And considering how much strain pass and run blocking can put on the human shoulder, it makes sense why Celek, not Kittle, gets the start in Week 1.
Kittle remains San Francisco’s top offensive weapon out of the two, though.