# Will George Kittle start the season on the PUP list?

Yes, all signs point to George Kittle starting the 2026 season on the PUP list. He's recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in the playoffs, and while he's been aggressively pushing his rehab timeline, the 49ers have backup TEs Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell playing well — so there's no pressure to rush him back (from the George Kittle page).

The experts agree. **FantasyPros** notes he'll "miss some time at the start of the season after the Achilles tear" [[hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyIzpWuwzrs&t=2021s)], and **Establish the Run** went further, saying he'll be on the PUP list and "might not be back until week six, eight, ten" [[hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilc0QexafUQ&t=1079s)]. **Fantasy Points** echoed that he's "very likely not going to be on the field in a meaningful capacity" early on [[hear the clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRcSgGqq_-s&t=1873s)].

Kyle Shanahan did say Kittle "has a chance" for a Week 1 return, but a PUP stint to start the year and a gradual ramp-up is the far more likely scenario — making him a risky top-10 TE pick in drafts.

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Answered 2026-07-26 by ChatFFB — fantasy football answers from a live news wiki.
Source: https://chatffb.com/ask/will-george-kittle-start-the-season-on-the-pup-list