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A look at the San Francisco 49ers' Week 2 injury report
The 49ers head into their Week 2 outing against the Jets banged up pretty bad on the offensive side of the ball following a season-opening loss to the Cardinals. Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers head into their Week 2 outing against the New York Jets banged up pretty bad on the offensive side of the ball following a season-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk missed Week 1 to injuries. Starting center Weston Richburg and top backup Ben Garland also missed the game.

Recently-extended All-Pro tight end George Kittle also suffered a sprained knee in the game and is questionable to go for next Sunday.

Below, we break down the 49ers’ injuries and what they mean for Week 2 against the Jets and beyond.

Related: NFL Week 2 power rankings

San Francisco 49ers schedule

Deebo Samuel injury update 

  • Position: Wide receiver
  • Status: Out (injured reserve)
  • Injury: Foot 
  • Team Impact: Samuel will miss at least the next two games. The expectation is that he will be able to go Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles after suffering a Jones fracture in his foot during off-season workouts.
  • Fantasy Impact: After putting up north of 1,000 yards as a rookie, Samuel’s absence was felt big time in Week 1. Jimmy Garoppolo completed just 4-of-11 passes to his wide receivers. The hope is that Kendrick Bourne can improve off a substandard opener. Fellow Week 1 starter Dante Pettis is irrelevant after failing to catch a pass last week.

Brandon Aiyuk injury report 

  • Position: Wide receiver
  • Status: Questionable
  • Injury: Hamstring
  • Team Impact: There’s good news on this front. San Francisco expects its rookie first-round pick to be back on the field Sunday against the Jets. Aiyuk had performed well in training camp prior to suffering the hamstring injury.
  • Fantasy Impact: Potentially lethal. Aiyuk’s quickness off the line and ability to turn corners around could loom large against a poor Jets secondary. Without Samuel in the mix, he’s likely to see a ton of targets. Start Aiyuk in the FLEX in standard leagues and take a chance on him in daily’s.

George Kittle injury update 

  • Position: Tight end
  • Status: Questionable
  • Injury: Knee
  • Team Impact: The game’s best tight end is obviously a major component to San Francisco’s success on offense. Kittle caught four passes before going down to injury last week. He didn’t record a single reception once returning to the game. That tells us something.
  • Fantasy Impact: If, for some reason, Kittle can’t go on Sunday, former Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Reed becomes an option. The oft-injured tight end caught two passes for 12 yards in his 49ers debut last week.

Related: NFL Week 2 odds

Ben Garland injury update

  • Position: Starting center
  • Status: Questionable
  • Injury: Ankle
  • Team Impact: With starting center Weston Richburg already inactive, Garland was slated to start at center. He performed well in part-time duties last season. Unfortunately, an ankle sprain sidelined him in Week 1. In Garland’s stead, a lesser Hroniss Grasu got the start. This impacted pressure from the middle of the offensive line, creating major issues for Jimmy Garoppolo.
  • Fantasy Impact: Garoppolo should be able to pick apart a bad Jets defense in Week 2. The issue here is said pressure from the middle of San Francisco’s line. If Garland is not able to go, downgrade Garoppolo to a mid-tier option in two-QB leagues.

This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission.

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