San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan informed reporters during a Monday conference call that wide receiver Deebo Samuel will be sidelined for "a couple of weeks" after suffering a calf strain in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
"He told me he thinks he did it when he caught—I think it was like the third to last play," Shanahan said. "They had a blitz down in the red zone. He caught the hot route, breaking in. He says he thinks he did it on that play. I think there was only like two or three plays after that play, though."
The 49ers are already dealing with the absence of running back Christian McCaffrey, who was placed on injured reserve last weekend with a calf strain and Achilles tendinitis. Shanahan was asked about the challenge of being without two of the team's most dynamic playmakers.
"When you lose real good players, it's always tough, but it happens all over the league, and it's a huge part of this league, and a huge part of this game," Shanahan responded. "You've just got to deal with it."
Meanwhile, the 49ers' upcoming opponent, the Los Angeles Rams, are also dealing with significant injuries. Star receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are both expected to miss time. Nacua was placed on injured reserve last week with a PCL sprain, and Kupp, dealing with an ankle injury, may join him on IR, likely missing an extended period of time.
The Rams are also expected to be without three offensive linemen—Jonah Jackson, Joe Noteboom, and Steve Avila. Additionally, safety John Johnson III is a potential candidate for injured reserve due to a shoulder injury.