The 49ers’ defensive line produced a much-improved performance in Week 5 as San Francisco stunned the Los Angeles Rams, but that group will be without a key member of its rotation for a little while.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported on Friday that defensive tackle Kalia Davis is set to undergo surgery on a broken hand.

Davis could miss as few as two games, and is expected to return to action with a club on his hand.

While it is only a short absence, it is more frustration for Davis, who has endured injury issues throughout his career since being drafted in the sixth round.

Davis was forced to leave the game against the Rams with the injury, which occurred on his 27th birthday.

Having missed his entire rookie season with a knee injury, Davis played just three games in 2023 before featuring in 13 last season.

Davis played 31 percent of the defensive snaps in 2024, and that number has increased to 41 percent this year.

And Davis has been impactful on those snaps, making splash plays on a weekly basis in the run game.

With Davis on the sideline, the 49ers will need to lean more on their young depth at defensive tackle in their Week 6 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Week 7 clash with the Atlanta Falcons.

CJ West returned from a broken finger to feature against the Rams, while fellow rookie Alfred Collins made a massive play in forcing a Rams fumble on the San Francisco one-yard line in the fourth quarter.

In addition to that pair and Jordan Elliott, the 49ers also have Sebastian Valdez and Evan Anderson on the practice squad.

Yetur Gross-Matos has rushed consistently from the defensive interior this season, but suffered a hamstring injury in the third quarter against the Rams and did not return.

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