San Francisco

49ers

Samuel picked up a calf strain at some point in the 49ers’ Week 2 loss to the Vikings and is expected to miss time. It’s a massive blow to a team already without Christian McCaffrey due to Samuel’s increased rushing workload and schemed usage through the air in the absence of the All-Pro running back. George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jordan Mason will be asked to step up in their collective absence, while Jauan Jennings is likely to see a slight uptick in offensive snaps.

Jennings continued working as the Niners’ WR3 after leading the team with 64 receiving yards in Week 1 against the Jets. Jennings logged a pass route on 31 of the Niners’ 45 drop backs against Minnesota. He’s only an option in deeper formats unless the team struggles with wideout injuries.

Aiyuk took a backseat to George Kittle and Deebo Samuel on a day that saw Brock Purdy drop back 52 times — far more than normal for the 49ers offense. Aiyuk’s season has gotten off to a rough start. He has just six grabs for 71 yards through two games. He’ll look to get back on track in Week 3 against a weak Rams secondary.

Samuel led the team in targets in an unusually pass-heavy game script in a CMC-less offense. His two rushing attempts were disastrous. Last week, Samuel had eight rushes in a more neutral game script. Samuel should continue operating as the Niners’ No. 1 wideout for the foreseeable future. He’ll be a top ten option next week against Houston.

After a quiet Week 1 against the Jets, Kittle benefited from increased play and drop back volume for the Niners offense in Week 2. With Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) on injured reserve, these types of performances could become more of the norm for Kittle. Brock Purdy found Kittle wide open in the middle of the field time after time against the Vikings, and dumped it off to Kittle for a short catch and run score in the second half. Kittle gets the Texans in Week 3.

Purdy dropped back 45 times against the Vikings, far more than head coach Kyle Shanahan would likely want his QB to drop back. Half of Purdy’s attempts were short of the first down sticks, another abnormality in the Niners offense that might be the new normal with Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) on IR. Purdy targeted George Kittle (8) and Deebo Samuel (10) on half of his throws against Minnesota. He’ll be a high-end fantasy option in Week 3 against a wretched Rams secondary.

Mason was once again the Niners’ workhorse with Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) on injured reserve. Mason shed tacklers and fought for hard-earned yards throughout the game as the centerpiece of the San Francisco offense. Though he’s not as involved in the pass game as CMC, Mason profiles as a locked-in top-10 fantasy option for Week 3 against a sieve of a Rams defense.

Besides Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles) landing on injured reserve this week, the Niners go into Week 2 as one of the league’s healthiest teams. Brandon Allen will continue to back up Brock Purdy in Week 2.

McCaffrey was placed on injured reserve on Saturday after his Achilles injury worsened in practice during the week. A six-week absence would have McCaffrey return to action in Week 8 versus the Cowboys. However, the 49ers get their bye in Week 9, making a return the following week a more pragmatic timeline for the superstar running back. Until he returns, Jordan Mason will be the focal point of San Francisco’s ground game. mason ran 28 times for 147 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. He did not cede a single carry to a backup running back. Deebo Samuel saw eight carries and ran for 23 yards with a touchdown. Needless to say, Mason should be rostered in all fantasy leagues and will project for RB1 numbers until CMC is back in the lineup.

After the surprise inactive in week 1, the 49ers have now placed their star running back on injured reserve. He will miss at least four games, paving the way for Jordan Mason to serve as the workhorse running back for one of the league’s top offenses. The 49ers have their bye in Week 9 this season, hinting at the potential for McCaffrey to remain out until Week 10 as a worst-case scenario. If you haven’t added him yet, run to the waiver wire and scoop up Mason.