After George Kittle suffered a hamstring injury during Sunday's season-opening win against the division-rival Seattle Seahawks , the San Francisco 49ers are placing the star tight end on injured reserve , which will him out of the lineup for at least the next four games.

It's a massive blow to a Kyle Shanahan offense that suffered from significant injury issues all year long last season and took a step back as a result. Kittle's importance to everything that the 49ers do offensively cannot be overstated.

How Kittle's absence impacts 49ers' offense

Kittle isn't just a pass-game weapon. He is also the NFL 's best blocking tight end. Kittle plays a huge role in the 49ers' run game, working with the other tight ends and fullback Kyle Juszczyk to lead the w

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