As the San Francisco 49ers prepare for their Week 11 battle with the Seattle Seahawks, the Niners appear to be getting one of their offensive stars back on the field this week, as George Kittle returned to practice on Thursday following a minor hamstring injury. Kittle was among many 49ers players on the team's injury report this week.
Kittle didn't participate in Wednesday's practice, but with participation on Thursday, he seems to be ready for Sunday's game.
However, while Kittle is back on the field, the 49ers remain a battered roster with five players still sidelined through two days of practice. Of those five players, four are key starters for this 49ers squad.
On Thursday, Nick Bosa, Trent Williams, Mitch Wishnowsky, Charvarius Ward, and Kevin Givens remained sidelined, as Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason, Chris Conley, and Jon Feliciano returned to the field in some capacity.
This season, Kittle remains one of the top tight ends in the league, posting 43 receptions, 560 yards, and seven touchdowns through just eight games. For a team that's looking to retain its title as one of the top teams in the NFC, having Kittle back on the field is seemingly necessary.
Given the way San Francisco uses Kittle on offense, losing him would be a massive blow to this offense. Kittle is a rare breed of tight end, given his ability to block like an All-Pro tackle while also being used heavily in the passing game as an elite target for Brock Purdy.
Considering the other injuries on this team, specifically the offensive side of the ball, Kittle being on the field in this Week 11 divisional matchup against the Seahawks makes a world of difference.
In the NFL, all wins are important, but beating divisional opponents means even more. This becomes especially true when playoff implications become more prevalent towards the end of the season.
With the 49ers sitting at 5-4 and in second place in the NFC West, this Week 11 matchup between San Francisco and Seattle becomes even more crucial.
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The Niners are hopeful for a Cardinals loss this week and a win against the Seahawks, which would move Kyle Shanahan's 49ers into first place in the division.
Kittle being healthy in this battle is beneficial for the 49ers, however, their laundry list of an injury report brings cause for concern.
While Kittle is an effective blocking tight end, not having their future Hall of Fame left tackle would be a major blow. Along with Williams, being without Bosa would be a major hurdle for the 49ers as well in this NFC West matchup.
With Seattle possessing the top passing offense in the league, having all of their defensive starters would make Sunday a lot more manageable on one side of the ball.
However, with three more days until they face off against Seattle, the 49ers hope to see their injury report become shorter and shorter as the week progresses.
