"Both of them are pretty much in the same boat," Shanahan said on the "Murph and Mac" show. "I mean, Emmanuel has had this before, so he has a pretty good idea about it. He hasn't been able to do anything this week because it's a very painful thing with his ribs."
Sanders suffered his rib injury, described earlier this week by Shanahan as a "cartilage issue," during Monday night's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
"We will have to decide [about him] on Sunday, if he can play through it," Shanahan continued. "We're going to give him up to that moment to do it."
Kittle missed Monday's game completely after sustaining knee and ankle injuries during the team's Week 9 matchup against the Cardinals. He'll likely also be a game-time decision leading to the Week 11 rematch between the two teams.
"George is in the exact same boat he was in last week," Shanahan said. "A normal guy, I would have ruled out for both of these weeks. George, I won't. There's too many times that we've thought there's no way he's going to go, and then by the time Saturday comes, he goes and does a workout, and shows us what he can do, and we've ended up playing him, and he's been able to go through the whole game.
"Both of those guys, we're not going to rule out. I think they'll be a decision on Sunday, but hopefully, it will work out in our favor."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Shanahan below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' George Kittle provides encouraging update on Achilles recovery
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle continues to inch closer to a return from the Achilles injury he suffered during last season's playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Kittle has been seen working on the side during training camp and appears to be nearing a return... -
49ers' George Kittle 'very confident' he won't start 2026 season on PUP, nears practice return
Tight end George Kittle remains confident that he will be ready for Week 1, when the San Francisco 49ers travel to Melbourne, Australia, to face the Los Angeles Rams. Nothing is certain, though, and Kittle isn't committing to being suited up for that international matchup just... -
'High level of confidence' 49ers TE George Kittle will play Week 1 vs. Rams
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle did a good deal of work on the side during Monday's practice, more than he has done at any point during training camp. It appeared Kittle could be getting closer to returning to practice, although nothing is official yet. Kittle... -
What Kyle Shanahan and others said after 49ers' 19-13 loss vs. Titans
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and several others spoke with reporters after Thursday night's 19-13 preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans. Here is what they said. Transcripts provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff. Head Coach Kyle...