49ers vs. Seahawks: 5 players to watch in Week 17 NFC West showdown

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Tight end George Kittle #85 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

No. 1: George Kittle vs. Seahawks defense

The biggest change for the 49ers offense in this game from their first matchup with the Seahawks will be the addition of tight end George Kittle in the lineup.

Kittle is, of course, the heart and soul of the 49ers offense. Despite some new additions this season, the offense still runs through Kittle.

Despite missing two games, Kittle has 83 catches for 1,046 yards and six touchdowns on the season. His worth isn’t just in his capacity as the top receiving target for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, but just how much better the run offense works when he’s plying his trade as one of the top blockers in the NFL.

Not to mention, the last time the 49ers had a road game against a contender, he came up big in the clutch:

It’s hard to pin a matchup to any one player from the Seahawks defense, since it all depends on what Kittle is doing at the time.

But for this Week 17 divisional title fight, Kittle is the one weapon the 49ers didn’t have before who can be unleashed.