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San Francisco 49ers: A pessimistic preview of the Niners’ 2018 season

By Peter Panacy

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 03: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers recovers his own fumbled snap against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The 49ers defetaed the Bears 15-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 03: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers recovers his own fumbled snap against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 3, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. The 49ers defetaed the Bears 15-14. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers is helped off the field after he was injured in their game against the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Reuben Foster #56 of the San Francisco 49ers is helped off the field after he was injured in their game against the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

Injuries, Injuries, Injuries, Oh My!

A year ago, we saw how much injuries can derail a team’s chances. And we can look beyond just the 49ers too.

Case in point, the Houston Texans had a lot of promise heading into 2017. Defenders J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus highlighted one of the stoutest defenses in the NFL, and rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson was on his way to becoming quite the story.

All three wound up on season-ending injured reserve early, all but ending Houston’s chances.

The Niners were in a different boat, in terms of playoff projections, but they sure suffered from injuries — 21 season enders, to be exact.

What if the injury bug and attrition bites San Francisco hard again in 2018?

We caught a glimpse of this last year, notably with then-rookie linebacker Reuben Foster, who dealt with a long-term ankle injury and a number of different issues at various points over the rest of the season. His hard-hitting ways already have us concerned.

And then there’s the oh-so present worry quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will suffer an injury. That would turn things over to his backup, C.J. Beathard, who finished 2017 with the league’s 31st-ranked passer rating (69.2).

Yeah, injuries could derail 2018 easily.