Tight end George Kittle and the San Francisco 49ers seem pretty confident about a Week 1 concern being in play after the All-Pro suffered a torn Achilles in the playoffs last January.
Even if Kittle misses the Niners' regular-season opener down in Melbourne, Australia, the likelihood of him starting off the 2026 campaign on an injury list appears slim, potentially just a one- or two-game absence, at most.
If that's the case, undrafted rookie tight end Khalil Dinkins might not have much of a shot to crack San Francisco's 53-man roster out of the gate. And, as an unheralded prospect without much attention, he might have too long of a road to travel anyway.
That said, the Penn State product is certainly worth some extra attention over summer workouts.
Khalil Dinkins might be a true 49ers developmental sleeper
The 49ers appear to have their top trio of tight ends with Kittle the headliner, supported by last year's interim hero, Jake Tonges, and the blocking Luke Farrell. Brayden Willis and Hayden Rucci are also in the mix as potential practice squad candidates seeking the occasional in-game call-up, but Dinkins certainly deserves a look.
At 6-foot-4 and 251 pounds, Dinkins had an impressive 4.72 40-yard time back at the NFL Combine, and his athleticism is something that'll ultimately work in his favor, despite a relatively unpolished route tree.
As was the case with Kittle, Dinkins' receiving numbers in college weren't all too impressive: 37 catches for 399 yards and seven touchdowns over four years with the Nittany Lions. But, he's already a solid blocker and has the physical traits to be a potential threat in the receiving game, too.
All he needs is some refinement and polish.
From that perspective, Dinkins could project to be a "Kittle light," someone who could be molded into a viable No. 2 option on the depth chart, not unlike how Tonges emerged as a go-to when Kittle missed time in 2025 because of injury.
Granted, the long game might be worth watching here, and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Niners opted to stash the undrafted rookie on the practice squad for a year in order to fully capitalize on his maturation in 2027 and beyond.
Should that happen, it might be worth revisiting this prediction and admit we told you so.
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