49ers tight end George Kittle did not practice at all this week due to a sprained ankle, but the team did not rule him out of Sunday night’s game against the Bears when they handed in their final injury report on Friday.
A report on Sunday morning suggests Kittle will ultimately be ruled out of the contest, however. Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Kittle is “highly unlikely” to be in the lineup at Levi’s Stadium.
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Luke Farrell and Jake Tonges are the other tight ends on the 53-man roster and the 49ers also elevated Brayden Willis from the practice squad on Saturday.
Schefter also reports that wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is expected to play. Pearsall is listed as questionable with knee and ankle injuries.
Sunday night’s game has major implications for the 49ers’ place in the NFC playoff picture. A 49ers win over the Bears and a Week 18 win over the Seahawks would make the 49ers the No. 1 seed in the conference. They would still have a slim chance of winning the NFC West with a loss to Chicago, but there would be no path to the top seed.