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
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Position: Wide receiver
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Status: Out (injured reserve)
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Injury: Foot
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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.
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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
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Position: Wide receiver
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Status: Questionable
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Injury: Hamstring
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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.
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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
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Position: Tight end
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Status: Questionable
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Injury: Knee
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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.
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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
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Position: Starting center
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Status: Questionable
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Injury: Ankle
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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.
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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.