49ers, Rams hobbling into Week 3 matchup as injuries surge

49ers, Rams hobbling into Week 3 matchup as injuries surge originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The 49ers are dealing with a rash of injuries ahead of their Week 3 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

But San Francisco isn’t alone in its struggles, as the team’s NFC West foe down south is hurting just as badly — if not worse.

After losing wide receiver Puka Nacua for multiple weeks after he sustained a PCL strain in Week 1, Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters Monday that fellow star wideout Cooper Kupp will miss “extended time” following an ankle injury in Week 2.

The 49ers also are without two of their top pass-catchers in wide receiver Deebo Samuel and running back Christian McCaffrey — dual threats who see San Francisco’s offense go through them week in and week out, when healthy. But coach Kyle Shanahan revealed Monday that Samuel will miss “a couple weeks” after suffering a calf strain in Sunday’s 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

McCaffrey, meanwhile, was placed on injured reserve Saturday as he deals with Achilles tendinitis and calf tightness. The reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year could miss six weeks or more, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday, and Shanahan isn’t sure when McCaffrey could return.

“Nobody knows,” Shanahan told reporters at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis after Sunday’s game. “We’re dealing with tendinitis, so there’s not one person [who] knows. He doesn’t know. We don’t know.

“[We’ll] take it day by day by putting him on IR for at least four weeks. That will give him some time to rest and kind of protect him from himself, too. No matter how he’s feeling, it’s four at the minimum.”

The good news for San Francisco is that backup running back Jordan Mason has filled in admirably for McCaffrey, and quarterback Brock Purdy still has weapons like tight end George Kittle and receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings to choose from in the passing game.

But both the 49ers and Rams are missing key players elsewhere, too. The 49ers await the returns of linebackers Dre Greenlaw and All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga from injuries, though the latter could return to the defensive backfield sooner rather than later after being listed as “doubtful” for San Francisco’s last two games.

And in Los Angeles, the hits just keep coming. Rams safety John Johnson suffered a hairline fracture Sunday and is expected to miss four to six weeks, more than likely landing on IR, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Monday, citing sources. And Rams starting guard Jonah Jackson suffered a fractured scapula that has him bound for IR, too, Rapoport reported Monday, citing sources.

While there still will be plenty of talent on the field in Los Angeles on Sunday, there’s no telling how the divisional Week 3 clash will end with so many big names sidelined.

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