The Los Angeles Rams will face the toughest NFC West opponent Sunday. However, the San Francisco 49ers will likely be short another key offensive starter in Week 3.
George Kittle didn't practice on Thursday because of a hamstring injury. His availability for the rivalry matchup remains uncertain.
Kittle posted seven catches for 76 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco's loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
If Kittle doesn't play in Sunday's game, his absence would mark the third starter of the 49ers offense to miss the game.
San Francisco is already short running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Deebo Samuel. The 49ers placed McCaffrey on injured reserve and Samuel is expected to miss a few weeks.
The 49ers were left with Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Jordan Mason as the trio of starters expected to make splash plays. However, Kittle's current injury indicates he won't play on Sunday.
Rams head coach Sean McVay described Aiyuk and Kittle as "nightmares" to play against.
This essentially evens the playing field, given the Rams have lost their fair share of starters already. The Rams won't have either of their top two receivers in Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.
Additionally, Los Angeles will be short players on both sides of the ball. Several backups will be asked to fill in for injured starters.
Starting safety John Johnson III will miss several weeks due to a shoulder injury. Rookie safety Kamren Kinchens is one of the players the Rams will depend on to fill in.
"He'll definitely take on an elevated role, and as well as some other guys too," Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula said via the team transcript.
"Obviously, he's a guy that we knew when the pads come on, he kind of comes to life. Really good ball skills, really good communication. So really excited about him."
Offensive linemen Jonah Jackson and Johnson both were placed on injured reserve. The good news is that Kupp wasn't placed on injured reserve, indicating the Rams are hopeful he will return sooner rather than later.
“I don’t want to put any expectations on — I know he’s going to want to be back as soon as he can, but I don’t want to put any expectations or unnecessary things on him,” McVay told reporters. “He’s going to do everything in his power to get back, whenever that is.”
It's likely the matchup with San Francisco will still be a challenge, but the Rams won't be the only team dealing with injuries.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/rams/ as Rams News: 49ers Could be Without Another Key Offensive Playmaker For Matchup With LA.