Shanahan rules DeBow out 'a few weeks' with calf strain

Star wide receiver DeBo Samuel will miss several weeks with a calf strain, 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan announced Monday in a conference call with reporters, another major blow to San Francisco's offense.

Samuel suffered the injury after the 49ers' 23-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday at US Bank Stadium.

“He told me he thought he did it when he caught it — I think it was like the third-to-last play,” Shanahan told reporters. “They had a blitz in the red zone; he broke through on the hot route. He said he thought he did it on this play. It was only two or three plays after that play, though.”

Samuel was the 49ers' leading receiver in the loss to the Vikings, finishing with eight catches for 110 yards. He had five receptions for 54 yards and eight rushing attempts for 23 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's Week 1 win over the New York Jets last Monday.

The 49ers must now navigate the next few weeks with Samuel and 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday with calf tightness and Achilles tendinitis.

McCaffrey is expected to miss at least the next three games, but reports say he could miss even longer.

With wide receiver Brandon Ayuk and tight end George Kittle Samuel out, the receiving game will be relied upon heavily to pick up the slack.

If Samuel misses two weeks, he won't play this Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams or Sept. 29 against the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium. If he is forced to sit out another game, he will miss the Oct. 6 home game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Samuel and McCaffrey are crucial to what Shanahan and the 49ers want to do on offense, so the goal will be to water down until both players are healthy and ready to return.

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