Alex Smith To Start Week 17

Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love is "progressing really well" toward playing in Week 1 and he took another step yesterday and LaFleur said he'll take another step today.

Related players: Tyler Allgeier, Zonovan Knight

It sounds like Love has a chance to play in Week 1, but it's certainly not a lock at this point, especially coming off a high ankle sprain. Even if Love plays, it may not be a full workload. Allgeier is a more than capable back and could be in store for a big workload if Love can't suit up. Knight flashed for the Cards at time last season and would likely get some work as well. If you drafted Love, or plan to, having Allgeier as a handcuff seems like a good idea.

The Jets landed a new kicker Monday.

The team claimed Blake Grupe off waivers, a day after the Colts moved on from Grupe.

The story pointed out the Jets desperately needed to address the kicking position after a lackluster competition this summer between Jason Sanders and Cade York. Sanders ostensibly won that competition when the team cut York last week, but Sanders then missed an extra point and a field goal in Friday’s preseason game against the Giants.

49ers tight end George Kittle is practicing this week and he’s moving into team drills in the days leading up to their trip to Australia, so any worries that his return from a torn Achilles hit a snag should be put to rest.

“I don’t know exactly what I said there, but it was probably just me not speaking right,” Shanahan said. “George has been great. He’s passing everything. We’re just getting him out with the team these three days and anytime when you come back out and practice with the team going against people and stuff — I hope there’s not a setback in that way. That has nothing to do with his injury or anything, that has to do with his coming back and practicing these three days. There was nothing that I meant to say that people looked into. If I did say that, it was an accident.”

Shanahan apparently misspoke about Kittle and a possible setback with the injury. As the story said, Kittle’s status for Week 1 against the Rams remains up in the air, but his overall timeline hasn't changed. The 49ers-Rams will play on Thursday night, Sept. 10.