The San Francisco 49ers head into SoFi Stadium to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3 with a notable list injuries. Among those unlikely to suit up on Sunday at the team's home away from home is All-Pro tight end George Kittle, who had been listed as doubtful but on Saturday afternoon was officially declared as out.
With the glaring absence of such key offensive weapons that quarterback Brock Purdy has come to rely upon like Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, and Kittle, it's basically "step-up time" across the board. Filling the rather big shoes of No. 85 will be tight end Eric Saubert, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound NFL journeyman who's been in the league long enough to understand the situation.
Here's what Saubert had to say on Friday, knowing he'll suddenly be playing a much bigger role than he's typically accustomed to.
"There's a high standard of performance [playing for the 49ers]," Saubert told reporters. "It's really cool, though, because it elevates your game. You got to be on your stuff every day. You have to come to work with the expectation that the standard is what it is, and if you're not going to match that, you're not going to play here.
"Since I've been here it's been a great fit for me. Really happy it worked out the way it did. I've been a lot of places so you pick up different things the different places you go. I worked with some great coaches, too ... It's what I've kind of tried to match [Kittle's play] since I've been here. Playing at that high of a level, it's hard to do consistently but it's what we expect from the tight ends here. It carries over to everybody ... It makes the room better, it makes our offense better."
It's worth noting that Saubert and Kittle have been friends for awhile, having both played college football in Iowa (Saubert at Drake, Kittle at Iowa) and both being part of the 2017 NFL Draft class. That connection should serve as some level of comfort, as Saubert is not some unknown quantity that will be strolling onto the field come Sunday. And, at a quick glance—in the name of furthering some positivity that many fans of the 49ers are likely seeking—Saubert did haul in both of his targets in Week 2 against the Vikings for 26 yards.
There's no doubt head coach Kyle Shanahan would love to see that 13.0 yards per catch continue as a trend, albeit in much a bigger way, against the Rams.
Speaking on Shanahan, he specifically noted that Saubert has "done a hell of a job" and that "if he's got to do it all, he's up for the challenge."
Sunday's game will serve be a huge opportunity for Eric Saubert, in many ways. Immediate production is quite obviously at the very top of the list, but knowing you have a quality, reliable TE2 in your back pocket who can contribute well beyond Week 3 would be great to know. It's a long season.
Finally, here's a look at some of Saubert's highlights from last season, playing for the 8-9 Denver Broncos. The big guy can definitely ball, as evidenced by the impressive hurdle against the Titans at 1:07 mark of the clip.
