SANTA CLARA — Tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward were surprise no-shows at Thursday’s practice, ruled out by injury concerns that suddenly cast their availability in question for the 49ers’ game Sunday at the Los Angeles Rams.
While Kittle was kept out with a hamstring issue, Ward has a combination of hamstring and knee injuries. Both players made it through Wednesday’s practice in unlimited fashion, and it’s not believed either has a long-term issue, at least not yet.
The 49ers (1-1) already will play without two offensive playmakers in Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey. Samuel is expected to miss two weeks with a calf strain from Sunday’s loss at Minnesota, while McCaffrey has yet to play this season and is not eligible to come off Injured Reserve for another three games.
The Rams (0-2) will play their home opener without their top wide receivers, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nakua, the latter of whom is among 11 players on the team’s Injured Reserve list.
Both Kittle and Ward underwent core-muscle surgeries in February and missed offseason practices, but both have been mainstays on the field through two games. Kittle has played 82 percent of the offensive snaps, while Ward has lined up for all but one of the defense’s 105 snaps.
Kittle, an eighth-year veteran, has caught Brock Purdy’s only touchdown pass this season amid his 11 receptions. He has seven touchdown catches in 13 career games against the Rams, including one in the 49ers’ 2021 season’s NFC Championship Game which marks the Niners’ only loss at SoFi Stadium
If Kittle can not play, the 49ers’ could summon Brayden Willis or Mason Pline off the practice squad to complement current backups Eric Saubert and Jake Tonges.
Purdy’s top targets among the wide receivers already figure to be Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Chris Conley and Jacob Cowing. Top draft pick Ricky Pearsall must miss at least two more games recovering from an Aug. 31 gunshot wound to his chest.
While Samuel is the 49ers’ leading receiver with 13 catches for 164 yards, Aiyuk has just six catches for 71 yards and no touchdowns since skipping training camp and ultimately signing a four-year extension worth $30 million annually.
Ward has started every game since arriving as a 2022 free agent. The 49ers’ conceivably could start Deommodore Lenoir and Isaac Yiadom on the outside spots if Ward is out, with rookie Renardo Green entering as the nickel back who could play inside or outside if the 49ers prefer Lenoir covering the Rams’ slot receiver.
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Meanwhile, safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee) continues to look sharp in practice ahead of his expected comeback Sunday, 10 months after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament.
In terms of cap dollars, Ward ($18,401,000), Samuel ($12,226,753), Kittle ($12,204,575) and McCaffrey ($6,682,588) account for $49,514,916 of the maximum $255.4 million per team. Their potential replacements count $5 million toward the cap, those being Green ($1,161,795), Jauan Jennings ($2,274,941), Eric Saubert ($985,500) and Jordan Mason ($988,934) that accounts for $5,411,170 in cap dollars
Staff writer Jerry McDonald contributed to this report
