San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) warms up before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi's Stadium.

There may be some hope on the horizon for the San Francisco 49ers. And his name is George Kittle.

The 49ers will have to make due without Kittle, as well as starting quarterback Brock Purdy and all three of their top receivers, when they face the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night. But there's reason to believe Kittle, at least, will be back sooner rather than later.

San Francisco's star tight end has missed three straight games since he landed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Kittle suffered the injury in Week 1, and his stint on IR meant he would have to miss a minimum of four games.

Well, Thursday night's game will be the fourth game Kittle has missed. The 49ers' Week 6 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the first possible game the tight end will be eligible to return.

The latest injury update on Kittle indicated that a Week 6 return could be on the table.

When will George Kittle return?

Kittle will be eligible to return as early as Week 6, after he's sat out the requisite four games that come with an IR stint.

According to 49ers general manager John Lynch's latest update, a Week 6 return might be realistic.

"George is doing really well," Lynch said in an appearance on Bay Area radio station KNBR last Thursday. "We put him on that short-term IR. He's not even eligible until after the Rams game. I think Tampa would be the first game that George is eligible. He's tracking well, putting in a lot of really good work, like George always does."

Lynch's comments stood in direct contrast to what he said about wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who has yet to make his 2025 debut while recovering from a knee injury he sustained in October 2024. Lynch said Aiyuk didn't have any setbacks but was "not close" to returning to the field.

The 49ers have felt Kittle's absence in a big way in recent weeks with so many injuries taking out other receiving targets. It will loom especially large in a Week 5 game that will feature just four healthy wide receivers available for San Francisco. Only one of them has more than two targets this year.

49ers TE depth chart

  • George Kittle (IR – hamstring)
  • Jake Tonges
  • Luke Farrell
  • Brayden Willis

Tonges, who originally joined the 49ers as a practice squad member in 2023, has taken most of the tight end target share in Kittle's absence. Despite appearing in 20 games prior to this year, he didn't record his first career reception until Week 1 of this year. Now, he's up to 12 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

Farrell signed a three-year contract with the 49ers this offseason and has mostly been deployed as an extra blocker. He did score his first career touchdown this year in Week 2.

Willis was a seventh-round pick by the Niners in 2023. He began the 2025 season on the practice squad and was signed to the active roster in mid-September after his Week 2 elevation. Willis has largely contributed on special teams during his time with San Francisco.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When will George Kittle return? 49ers TE injury update

Reporting by Jack McKessy, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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