Kyle Shanahan: It's 'not guaranteed' that 49ers' George Kittle will play vs. Seahawks in Week 4

Kittle has been battling a sore calf

When the San Francisco 49ers take the field against the division rival Seattle Seahawks in Week 4, they may be without their best offensive player. 

According to head coach Kyle Shanahan, it is "not guaranteed" that tight end George Kittle will be able to suit up for the game. General manager John Lynch, meanwhile, said during a radio appearance that Kittle is "a hard guy to keep off the field," but also noted that the team won't put Kittle out there if he is "compromised" in any way.

"He's got a calf that's a little tight, and he's working through that, "Lynch said, per a transcription by 49ers Web Zone. "But George usually rings the bell and shows up, and you can't take that for granted. We're hopeful that we have him, and we certainly need him. He's a tremendous player, as we saw the other night and have seen so many times."

In Week 3 against the Packers, Kittle had his best receiving game of the season, catching seven passes for 92 yards. He has sat out multiple practices this week with a sore calf. If he sits again on Friday, it seems unlikely that he would be able to play on Sunday. If he can manage to get in a limited session, there would presumably be more of a chance of his getting on the field.

The Niners have been beset by injuries all year. They've had to do without two of their top running backs (Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr.) for all but a few snaps this season, while Elijah Mitchell missed Week 3 with a shoulder injury and JaMycal Hasty sat out with a sprained ankle. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, meanwhile, was bumped down the depth chart at the start of the year before being elevated back to full-time work this past week. 

If Kittle has to miss time, Ross Dwelley would likely step in to work as the No. 1 tight end, while it could also lead to more snaps for fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who split the running back snaps with Trey Sermon last week. 

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