The San Francisco 49ers are dealing with another notable injury. The 49ers, who recently put All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve, will also be without receiver Deebo Samuel for a couple of weeks after he strained his calf in Sunday's loss to the Vikings, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday.
Samuel will likely miss -at least one of the 49ers' upcoming games against a division rival. The 49ers will travel to take on the Rams (a fellow NFC West team) in Week 3 before returning home to face the Patriots in Week 4. They'll host division rival Arizona in Week 5 before traveling to face fellow NFC West foe Seattle in Week 6.
Samuel caught 8 of 10 targets for 110 yards in Sunday's 23-17 loss to the Vikings that dropped San Francisco to 1-1 after two games. He caught 5 of 9 targets for 54 yards and also rushed for 23 yards and a score in the 49ers' season-opening win over the New York Jets.
Samuel's absence will certainly be a big one for the 49ers. A former All-Pro, Samuel is one of the NFL's most versatile players. Last year, despite missing two games due to injury, Samuel caught seven touchdowns and ran for five more while helping the 49ers win a second straight NFC West division crown.
However, if any offense is capable of replacing key players, it's the one in San Francisco. Jordan Mason has filled in admirably for McCaffrey; he ran for 147 and 100 yards in his first two starts with McCaffrey out, respectively. With Samuel out, the onus will be on Brandon Aiyuk to pick up the slack after he caught just 6 of 10 targets during the 49ers' first two games.
The 49ers' offense also includes veteran wideout Jauan Jennings and perennial Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle. San Francisco is also monitoring the progress of first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, who has been working his way back after he was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery on August 31.