The San Francisco 49ers fell short against the Minnesota Vikings in a 23-17 loss on Sunday, and while they had some bursts of strong lay offensively, they were clearly missing star running back Christian McCaffrey.
McCaffrey has been dealing with a calf strain for the last several weeks, and head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed recently the reigning Offensive Player of the Year also has Achilles tendinitis.
McCaffrey was placed on the injured reserve on Saturday, and now he will be joined on the sideline by wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who also has a strained calf.
Per Ari Meirov, head coach Kyle Shanahan says Samuel will miss a couple of weeks.
#49ers WR Deebo Samuel suffered a calf strain on Sunday and he will miss a couple weeks, per HC Kyle Shanahan. pic.twitter.com/Z2ntIzuGGw
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 16, 2024
Samuel, who made both the Pro Bowl and All-Pro First Team in 2021, had a big game on Sunday with 110 yards, and he helped the Niners stay competitive throughout the day, even after they fell behind 20-7 midway through the third quarter.
Without McCaffrey, their do-everything tailback, their offense became a lot more predictable, and without Samuel, they will be hard-pressed to put points up on the board.
In addition to catching passes, Samuel can double as a makeshift running back, especially on sweep plays, and his injury will make San Francisco thin in their offensive backfield.
They will face a similarly depleted Los Angeles Rams team next Sunday in Southern California, and they will then return to the Bay to host the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals the following two weeks.
They hope to have both Samuel and McCaffrey back by Week 7 when they face the Kansas City Chiefs, the team that broke their hearts in the Super Bowl in two of the last five seasons.
