Although the San Francisco 49ers began the season with a bang, defeating the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in Week 1, the team may have to prepare its depth chart for another difficult season ahead. The Kyle Shanahan-led squad has been among the most-injured teams in the past few years, especially in 2024, ranking No. 1 on the most-injured list. And after just one regular-season game in 2026, the team has already lost several players to injury, including a fourth-year TE to a season-ending MCL injury.

NFL insider Adam Schefter posted on X on Wednesday that tight end Jake Tonges will miss the remaining 16 games of the season while recovering from surgery.

“49ers TE Jake Tonges will be out for the season after undergoing surgery for a torn MCL,” Schefter’s September 16 X post stated.

Tonges sustained the injury during the 49ers’ international season opener at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, September 10. He overextended his leg while executing a chip block against Rams defensive end Myles Garrett in the second quarter, and he had to be helped off the field to get his knee checked out. 

Although the tight end was initially put on injury reserve with the MCL tear verdict suggesting he could only miss a couple of weeks, a more complete assessment confirmed the truth about Tonges’ 2026 season.

George Kittle took the field after Tonges left, recreating a scene from January, but with their roles reversed. The veteran TE recorded two receptions for 12 yards in the remainder of the game.

During the 2025 regular season, Tonges recorded 34 receptions for 293 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games. In the six regular-season games Kittle missed last season, Tonges recorded 29 receptions for 269 yards and three touchdowns across six games. And after Kittle was injured during the 49ers’ NFC Wild Card playoff win over Philadelphia, Tonges continued his strong performances, scoring six receptions for 73 yards in two games.

Shanahan revealed that Kittle was limited in practice on Wednesday. He had made his comeback in the Week 1 game, returning after an almost eight-month recovery from a torn Achilles he sustained earlier this year.

But with Tonges gone and Kittle handling a reduced workload, Luke Farrell and Brayden Willis are projected to see more action on the field. According to Niners Wire reports, the team also has Khalil Dinkins and has re-signed Jack Stoll to their practice squad, adding more depth at TE.

However, the tight end position isn’t the only thing head coach Kyle Shanahan has to worry about ahead of the Week 2 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

Shanahan Provides Updates on All Injured 49ers Players  

During the Wednesday press conference, Kyle Shanahan also provided an update for the other compromised players.

“Eddie Pineiro won’t practice, he’s sick. [De’Zhaun] Stribling is out with an ankle. He’ll go on IR later this week. He had surgery today. [Nick] Bosa, [Dre] Greenlaw, and Christian [Kirk] have a rest day. Jusz [Kyle Juszczyk] limited with finger, George [Kittle] limited with Achilles, [Khalid] Kareem limited with shoulder. That’s it,” Shanahan revealed.

Shanahan’s update reveals the precarious situation of San Francisco’s roster just one week into the 2026 NFL regular season. The extensive list of injuries has also affected the 49ers wide receiver room.

The HC revealed that WR De’Zhaun Stribling, who was also injured in the Week 1 game, underwent surgery on September 16 and would be out for about 10 weeks.

Ricky Pearsall is also on the IR following PCL surgery, while Kirk continues to recover from a calf injury with a probable post-Week 4 return. Shanahan would have to depend on Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr. to keep the offense alive during the matchup with the Dolphins on September 20, with Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins, and Jacob Cowing as backups. The team has also moved KhaDarel Hodge from the practice squad to the active roster to provide depth at WR.

The 49ers are facing an early-season test as injuries thin their roster, and Kyle Shanahan has his task cut out for the coming few weeks.