Jake Tonges

Tonges left San Francisco's Week 1 2026 game against the Rams with an MCL sprain after a collision, and while it isn't a torn ACL, the staff's early tone signaled a real chance of missing multiple weeks even as some reports floated a Week 2 return.

Even after a strong stretch run in 2025, Tonges profiles as the clear backup behind George Kittle rather than a true lead target, which caps his target share in any scenario where Kittle is healthy and active.

San Francisco signed Tonges to a two-year extension in March 2026, confirming the organization values him as a long-term complementary piece rather than a camp arm.

Kittle is coming off an Achilles rupture and is expected to work on a managed snap count well below his usual full-time workload, which keeps a real path open for Tonges to log meaningful complementary and spot-starter snaps even once both are healthy.