Every time George Kittle has a big game, he seems to end up on the injury report the next day.
Kittle was brilliant in the 49ers' 23-20 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday. He had 3 catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. And now he has hamstring irritation according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. The team will reevaluate Kittle on Wednesday.
It doesn't sound like Kittle's hamstring injury is serious. And to his credit, despite landing on the injury report week after week with various ailments, Kittle has missed just one game this season. And he's having arguably the best season of his career.
Through eight games, Kittle has caught a career-high 81.1 percent of his targets, which is incredible. How many receivers are more efficient than he is? He's clearly the best tight end in the NFL and he's making a case that he should be a future Hall of Famer.
But the 49ers have to be careful with him. He's 31-years-old which means his body could break down at any moment. And the 49ers have eight regular season games left. Which means they have to pace him. As much as they would like to throw him 10 passes per game, they really shouldn't. Not until the playoffs start.
For now, the 49ers should continue to use Kittle when they absolutely need him -- in the red zone and when trailing in the fourth quarter. Otherwise, the 49ers should continue to feature younger, more durable receivers.
Download and follow The Best 49ers Podcast.
49ers Need to Feature George Kittle Against the Buccaneers
George Kittle is one of the keys to the 49ers achieving victory against the Buccaneers. He needs to be featured early and often.
Oct 27, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) carries the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
