The San Francisco 49ers have survived their first week without star tight end George Kittle in the lineup. He left early in the Week 1 game against the Seattle Seahawks with a hamstring injury and was put on the injured reserve list in the few days that followed.
Kittle recorded four receptions for a total of just 25 yards before his abrupt exit at Lumen Field. However, the 31-year-old athlete hauled in a 5-yard touchdown grab to give San Francisco its first six points in the 2025 season.
In the past four seasons for the 49ers, Kittle has caught at least 65 receptions, and in the past two years, he has cleared over 1,000 receiving yards.
That's a big chunk of production on offense from one player, much less a non-wide receiver for San Francisco. And there isn't one sole individual who can possibly make up the gap during his absence.
That means the Niners will have to rely on a pair of unlikely heroes to fill the void: Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell are those players who will split time for San Francisco in place of the missing Kittle.
How Jake Tonges has stepped up for 49ers
It's been a few years since Tonges has played in the league other the preseason. The 26-year-old has not taken the field in the NFL during the regular season since his days as a Chicago Bear.
With seven catches for a total of 47 yards, Tonges has already done better than his previous NFL stats. That's because the former University of California Golden Bear was only targeted once in four games with Chicago.
Tonges tallied 15 receiving yards, including a clutch game-winning touchdown grab on a 50-50 ball in Week 1 against the Hawks, which thrust him into an unlikely hero role.
In Week 2, the backup tight end more than doubled that with 31 receiving yards against the New Orleans Saints.
How Luke Farrell has stepped up for 49ers
Just like Tonges, Farrell had never scored a touchdown in the NFL before this season. On the road against New Orleans, the former Ohio State Buckeye earned his first score in the league on an 11-yard throw from backup quarterback Mac Jones, who was filling in for the injured Brock Purdy.
The former Jacksonville Jaguars' blocking specialist played in 67 regular-sason games before recording a touchdown. Farrell's other reception in the game was for a short gain of 4 yards.
Luke Farrell's first NFL TD! @49ers
SFvsNO on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/prTDKZPlA6
— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025
For the second game in a row, San Francisco not only scored first, but it did so by throwing to a tight end for a touchdown. Of the five touchdowns scored by the 49ers so far this season, the tight end position has accounted for three of them.
With the Niners at are 2-0, just like their next NFC West opponent, the Arizona Cardinals, Tonges and Farrell will be ready to continue holding the line in Kittle's absence.
So far, the results have been good even if unexpected.