San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle's season might not be over just yet.
Kittle has not played since Week 8 due to a fractured cuboid bone in his left foot. However, the 49ers just opened the practice window for the tight end on Wednesday.
The All-Pro has been banged up all season. Kittle barely practiced during training camp due to myriad issues, and he missed Week 2 and Week 3 to injury. But the 27-year-old would return with a vengeance in Week 4.
Kittle had a whopping 15 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Two weeks later, he went off for 109 yards receiving and a score in a win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Unfortunately for the 49ers, Kittle sustained the foot injury late in a Week 8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, rendering his status uncertain for the remainder of the year.
Whether Kittle actually takes the field remains to be seen. San Francisco still has a mathematical chance of making the postseason, but ESPN's Football Power Index has their odds at just 14.7 percent, per ESPN's Nick Wagoner.
Kittle is San Francisco's best offensive player. He is a playmaker in the passing game and probably the best run-blocking tight end in football. The 49ers' zone running scheme has been mostly ineffective without him on the field.
That said, San Francisco is not likely to rush Kittle back into action unless it is certain the playoffs are in sight. Thus, Kittle is likely week-to-week until the picture becomes clearer.
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