George Kittle Trending Toward Playing Week 1 Against Rams After 49ers Waive Backup Tight End

George Kittle is working toward playing Week 1 against the Rams.

The 49ers tight end tore his Achilles on January 11 during San Francisco's 23-19 wild-card win over the Philadelphia Eagles, going down in the second quarter right after his first catch of the game. He never returned to that game.

Eight months later, Kittle is in Melbourne, Australia, practicing at full speed ahead of San Francisco's season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, according to ESPN's Nick Wagoner. RotoWire reported Tuesday, September 8, that Kittle was in full uniform for the 49ers' practice session, and offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak told reporters the same day he's "super impressed with how he's looked considering the injury he had and how quickly he got back out on the field."

The Achilles Timeline

Achilles tears typically sideline players nine to 12 months, according to the New York Post. Kittle underwent surgery just three days after his injury, and the tear reportedly occurred high near his soleus muscle, which gave doctors a more favorable recovery outlook, according to The Big Lead. If he plays Thursday, September 10 in Melbourne, it will be less than eight months since the injury, a notably quick return in recent NFL history.

Kittle was activated from the physically unable to perform list on August 23. ESPN reported he made the trip to Australia "after two positive days of practice" and was "trending in the right direction to play in the season opener."

The Roster Tell

San Francisco waived tight end Brayden Willis on Saturday. Willis had made the 53-man roster and traveled the roughly 16 hours to Australia with the team, according to CBS Sports' John Breech. The 49ers then re-signed Willis to the practice squad rather than let him fly home, sparing him a second marathon flight.

Breech argued the move "could very well mean Kittle will play in Week 1," reasoning that San Francisco wouldn't risk losing a tight end on waivers, where another team could have claimed him, unless the club felt confident about Kittle's availability. Willis has earned $2 million over his career to date, according to Sporting News' Hunter Cookston.

Kubiak has stopped short of guaranteeing Kittle plays. "Workload will be determined," he said, according to Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News. "We've got two more practices, but Kittle looks good."

What Kittle Brings Back

Quarterback Brock Purdy, speaking to reporters after Tuesday's practice, said having Kittle back on the field "feels really good." Purdy called Kittle "very electric" and pointed to how explosive he's looked running routes again.

Kittle logged 57 catches for 628 yards and seven touchdowns across 11 starts last season before the injury, numbers that made him a seven-time Pro Bowler over his nine-year career. San Francisco also overhauled its receiving corps this offseason, adding veteran Mike Evans, bringing back Deebo Samuel and drafting wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, meaning Kittle would slot into a retooled offense.

If Kittle can't handle a full workload or is limited, the 49ers have depth behind him in Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell, plus fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who can line up at tight end in a pinch, according to Niners Noise.

San Francisco's official injury report ahead of the Thursday, September 10 kickoff at Melbourne Cricket Ground will show Kittle's practice participation level and game-day designation. Nick Bosa, working back from his own knee issue, made the same trip and faces a similar decision on playing time.