The San Francisco 49ers' post-Week 1 news cycle continues to be a whirlwind of action in the wake of Sunday's nail-biting victory over the Seattle Seahawks, which has produced no shortage of drama in the hours since.
A big part of that drama is the injuries, of which the Niners suffered a typically far too many cases.
Including All-Pro tight end George Kittle suffering a hamstring injury that'll ultimately land him on injured reserve, meaning he'll be out for at least the next four weeks before he's eligible to return.
Opening a roster spot by placing Kittle on IR leads to the possibility of signing one of the handful of adequate free-agent tight ends still out there on the market. And that might just be the route general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan opt to take.
However, Lynch and Shanahan may simply utilize one of their on-roster options in a slightly different way.
George Kittle's fill-in is already on 49ers roster
Shanahan operates one of the few offenses that still utilizes a fullback, and few have performed that job better in recent years than perennial Pro Bowler Kyle Juszczyk.
At age 34, Juszczyk's career is closer to slowing down than anything else, and it's been a while since he's served as a true X-factor in the receiving game. While memories of that impactful performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2017 may come to mind, it's important to acknowledge that was years ago.
However, the veteran might be the best option to fill in for Kittle in the interim, and San Francisco might be leaning that way already.
According to ESPN's Nick Wagoner, Juszczyk has been sitting in on tight end meetings this year, absorbing the nuances of the position in an effort to build upon his already diverse skill set.
While #49ers could call up Brayden Willis to play some TE with George Kittle out, it could also mean more using Kyle Juszczyk in similar ways.
Juszczyk told me during camp that he's been regularly attending tight end meetings this year about half the time. That's new this year.…
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) September 8, 2025
Juszczyk's efforts as a lead blocker need little introduction, as that's a classic responsibility as a fullback. But, as a pass-catching option, his average of 25 catches per year might need to see a bit of an uptick.
And it won't take long for fans to recall the occasional clutch moment Juszczyk has delivered in key situations, such as this memorable one below:
Fans have often pointed out how Juszczyk was under-utilized in the passing game over the years, but that might no longer be an option in the wake of Kittle's injury.
Plus, rather than bringing in a fresh face who has to learn all kinds of new terminology while hoping to immediately develop chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy, going with the veteran fullback as an interim Kittle replacement might be the smarter choice.
And the 49ers could save that roster spot for other areas of need, too.