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The San Francisco 49ers might be undefeated, but injuries are starting to pile up for them. Three weeks after left tackle Joe Staley was lost to a broken leg, the team has lost right tackle Mike McGlinchey to a knee injury. He underwent arthroscopic surgery and head coach Kyle Shanahan said he will miss four to six weeks.
This news also comes after news that fullback Kyle Juszczyk was lost to an MCL sprain and will miss four to six weeks as well. The team is working out fullbacks, while at tackle they’ll be starting Daniel Brunskill and Justin Skule in week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Fantasy football analysis, 49ers offense
Juszczyk’s injury is of note because of his work in the run game. He is a critical lead blocker for Tevin Coleman and Matt Breida. His absence means the team goes to more single back sets rather than I-formation and the run game changes.
McGlinchey has emerged as a solid all-around presence. This further hurts the run game, with a significant downgrade in quality. Kyle Shanahan’s skills as a run game designer will be put to the test like it hasn’t been in a while. We’re likely to see more use of two tight end sets, and George Kittle might be used more as a blocker than a pass catcher given the need for improved blocking.
The passing game faces its own challenges. Jimmy Garoppolo has stayed upright for the most part, but the run game dominance has also meant he has not needed to do too much. With the run game facing issues of blocking, more might be expected of Garoppolo. With question marks on the ends of the offensive line, it raises all sorts of concerns.
Gambling analysis
The 49ers are a 3.5-point underdog at DraftKings Sportsbook for their Week 6 road game against the Rams. The Rams were undervalued in this game coming off their loss to the Seahawks coupled with the 49ers win over Cleveland. It’s likely we see some movement increasing the Rams line.
Odds and lines subject to change. See website for actual odds.
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