The San Francisco 49ers officially have a significant injury problem on their hands.
Running back Christian McCaffrey is out for at least three more weeks while he tends to his Achilles tendinitis. His absence already made things more difficult for the 49ers’ offense. Then the difficulty went up when wide receiver Deebo Samuel went down with a calf injury late in San Francisco’s Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Samuel will be out for a couple of weeks. That means two of the 49ers’ best and most versatile offensive playmakers won’t be on the field for at least two weeks and potentially longer.
While that’s a steep hill to climb, it’s not impossible given the talent elsewhere on the 49ers’ roster. Here are six players who need to step up and play well during the period where McCaffrey and Samuel are out: