With only one week of the 2020 NFL season in the books, the 49ers already are beat up. Richard Sherman has joined Deebo Samuel on IR, with the depth at their positions being severely tested. George Kittle did not practice Wednesday due to a sprained knee, and both Brandon Aiyuk and Ben Garland were limited with respective hamstring and ankle ailments.
The 49ers' roster rivals that of any other team in the league, but right now they're missing some key pieces. However, they're not the only ones in that position.
The New Orleans Saints suffered a major scare in the late stages of their Week 1 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas sustained a high ankle injury after being rolled up on at the conclusion of a run play. NFL Media's Tom Pelissero reported Tuesday that the injury is worse than originally believed and that Thomas is expected to be out for multiple weeks.
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SIGN UP HERE According to ESPN's Mike Triplett, the Saints reportedly don't expect Thomas to play on "Monday Night Football" against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2, and could consider placing him on IR, which would rule him out for a minimum of three weeks. Thomas, however, is a tough customer who has missed only one game throughout his NFL career, and is said to resist such a move in hopes that he will be able to return sooner.
For however long Thomas is out, the Saints will be forced to play without arguably their most important player. Thomas was far and away the best receiver in the NFL last season and set the NFL record with 149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns. New Orleans signed former 49ers receiver Emmanuel Sanders in free agency this offseason, and he'll surely be leaned on more during Thomas' absence. Still, that's a significant downgrade, no matter how you look at it.
The Saints have an absolutely loaded roster, but the offense inevitably becomes far less daunting if Thomas isn't on the field. And if New Orleans happens to unexpectedly drop a game or two without the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, that could open the door for the 49ers to erase the hole they already find themselves in.
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Though San Francisco was the only NFC West team to lose in Week 1, the good news for the 49ers was that most of the other teams expected to contend within the conference all lost. The Saints, of course, were the most obvious exception and considering they might be the 49ers' top competition for the NFC's No. 1 seed, it's not great to already be behind in the race so early in the season.
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The 49ers have plenty to correct coming out of Week 1, and the numerous injuries add another layer to the challenge. But with some seemingly get-right games coming up in succession on the schedule -- starting on Sunday against the lowly New York Jets -- they could jump back to the front of the pack before long.
Thomas' injury probably increases the chances that the 49ers are able to do so.