Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers can earn their second win in three games against their division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, on Sunday, Sept. 22. However, the Pro Bowl quarterback must deal with a depleted roster due to the injuries of their key offensive players.
As ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter noted, reigning Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey is on injured reserve due to calf and Achilles injuries. Deebo Samuel will be out for a few weeks due to a calf injury, while Ricky Pearsall is still on IR after recovering from damages he took from the shooting he was involved with.
49ers offense:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 19, 2024
RB Christian McCaffrey: Calf/Achilles - On IR.
WR Deebo Samuel: Calf - Will miss a couple of weeks.
TE George Kittle: Hamstring - did not practice Thursday.
WR Ricky Pearsall: Chest/Shoulder - On IR, the singular best outcome for his situation.
Even All-Pro tight end George Kittle is in danger of missing the Week 3 showdown with the Rams after skipping Thursday's practice due to a hamstring injury. Without these players, Purdy must rely on Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo in the backfield. Meanwhile, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings will be his top targets in the passing game.
Purdy has done reasonably well in the first two games, finishing second in passing yards (550), eighth in completion percentage (72.7), and tied for sixth in completions (47). However, regardless of who suits up, what’s essential for the Niners is to get the victory on the road. Despite missing their full force, San Francisco could still have the upper hand as Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are also sidelined by injuries.
-Lance Fernandez
