Samuel out 2 games; Wilson to miss month
After finding a groove, Deebo Samuel will have to take a seat.
The 49ers’ wide receiver likely will miss two games — against the Seahawks on Sunday and the Packers on Nov. 5 — because of a hamstring strain suffered in Sunday’s 336 win at New England, head coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Samuel had 11 catches on 11 targets for 131 yards and a touchdown in wins against the Rams and New England. After missing the season’s first three games with a broken foot, Samuel had just five receptions for 54 yards on 11 targets in his first two games.
Most of Samuel’s catches in the past two games came on inmotion pitch passes and other tosses behind the line of scrimmage.
“Deebo is a huge part of our offense, a huge part of our team,” Shanahan said. “When you have a threat of someone who can hurt you, whether it’s blocking, whether it’s catching or whether it’s running, that’s always an issue for defenses.”
Without Samuel, the 49ers’ widereceiver corps will be led by rookie Brandon Aiyuk ( 20 receptions, 280 yards) and Kendrick Bourne ( 17, 271). Trent Taylor ( 6, 45) is the only other wideout who has a catch this season.
Shanahan said wide receiver Richie James ( ankle), who didn’t finish Sunday’s game, is daytoday.
Wilson sidelined:
Running back Jeff Wilson will be placed on injured reserve and miss about a month with a high ankle sprain he suffered against the Patriots.
Wilson’s absence leaves the 49errs with just two healthy running backs, Jerick McKinnon and JaMycal Hasty, on their roster. Shanahan said running back Tevin Coleman ( knee) could return to practice later in the week. On Friday, Shanahan said Coleman had an “outside chance” to play against the Seahawks.
The 49ers have one running back, Austin Walter, on their practice squad. The 2019 undrafted free agent played one snap in the one game he played with the Giants last year.
Wilson rushed for 112 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries Sunday before he was injured on his final scoring run late in the third quarter. His physicality impressed Shanahan.
“He was unbelievable,” Shanahan said. “… Watch every single play in the whole game — every time he gets hit, it looks like the goal line is right in front of him and he’s doing everything he can to cross that.”
In other injury news, Shanahan said slot cornerback K’Waun Williams ( knee) could come off injured reserve and play at Seattle. More will be known about safeties Jimmie Ward ( quadriceps) and Jaquiski Tartt ( groin) later in the week.
Kicking change:
Robbie Gould handled kickoffs instead of punter Mitch Wishnowsky against the Patriots and had just one touchback on seven kicks. Wishnowsky has 18 touchbacks on 30 kickoffs this season.
It’s possible the 49ers wanted Gould to loft kicks near the goal line that would be returned.
“We had a few reasons for it,” Shanahan said. “Most of it is schematics. There’s some differences in what they do.”
New England returner Gunner Olszewski averaged 25.8 yards on six returns, and the Patriots’ average starting position was their 28yard line after his runbacks.