San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle had some tough luck in the injury department last season. He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1, causing him to miss five games, and sprained his ankle against the Colts in Week 16. But neither of those compared to the torn Achilles in the Wild Card game that abruptly ended his season.
Now, recent updates indicate his return by this year's Week 1 is a realistic possibility. In theory, the 49ers should be celebrating, but there is no shortage of risk that comes with such a scenario. In fact, his early recovery could have major repercussions.
Unnecessary George Kittle reinjury would be 49ers' worst nightmare
The 49ers' first game of the season isn't just any season opener. It's in Australia - and against the Rams. San Francisco is already a 3.5-point underdog according to ESPN. Given that the Rams are the overwhelming Super Bowl favorite (and are on the cusp of landing former legend Aaron Donald), it wouldn't be shocking to see their odds elongate closer to kickoff.
If there were ever a game to avoid rolling out a tight end fresh off an Achilles tear, it would be the 49ers' Week 1 in Melbourne. The idea of sending Kittle on a 16-hour flight to play in a foreign country against a punishing defense seems illogical at best. Perhaps waiting until the team returns to the States would be more sensible.
Upon their return, the 49ers will play the Arizona Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins. Kittle could benefit from sitting those two games out as well, but for very different reasons. Both teams are projected to be two of the worst in the league, and San Francisco shouldn't need Kittle's efforts to steamroll the bottom feeders. Week 4 against the Denver Broncos will likely be the first time the red and gold will need their star tight end, as two of their first three games might as well already be tallied in the win column.
49ers would benefit from seeing lesser-known commodities
If Kittle were to play Week 1, it would mean the 49ers wouldn't get an early look at some of their younger, lesser-known investments. Most notably, rookie De'Zhaun Stribling has looked worth his second-round draft capital during training camp, and Kyle Shanahan may benefit from seeing what he can do against regular-season competition.
With Kittle in the mix, however, Stribling would be relegated to a third or fourth option, as Mike Evans and possibly others would be higher on Brock Purdy's priority list of targets.
Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing, and Jake Tonges are a couple of other names who would benefit from Kittle's early absence. Though they do not represent better receiving options than the Iowa product, it might still be beneficial for the Niners' coaching staff to see how deep their team truly is behind their primary pass catchers.
Hopefully Kittle waits to return until he is fully healthy. If that is Week 1, then so be it. But the 49er faithful will likely be holding their breath when he runs his first few routes of the season, whenever that may be.
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