49ers news: Chargers enter Week 10 with massive injury issues

The 49ers understand what it’s like having a swarm of injuries, and that’s what the Chargers are dealing with in both teams’ Week 10 matchup.

Ask any San Francisco 49ers fan about the injury bug, and you’ll likely receive some cringeworthy look back in your direction.

All Niners fans need to do is recall that infamous 2020 season in which head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad led the NFL in injuries by a massive margin. Heck, even this season has been challenging with some notable players going down for extensive periods of time, such as running back Elijah Mitchell and defensive tackle Arik Armstead, or players lost to season-ending injuries, namely cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley and, most recently, Jason Verrett.

Despite those setbacks, San Francisco appears to be getting healthy coming off its Week 9 bye and ahead of Week 10’s Sunday Night Football matchup against the visiting Los Angeles Chargers.

The Bolts, meanwhile, are dealing with more than enough injury issues of their own.

49ers can take advantage of banged-up Chargers roster

The 49ers are already seven-point home favorites over Los Angeles, according to WynnBET, and that likely stems from the fact Shanahan’s run-first offense is a massive mismatch against a Chargers defense that’s allowing a league-worst 5.7 yards per rush.

However, there’s another caveat at play, and that’s the Bolts’ injury list, which is pretty substantial and includes the following names:

• WR Keenan Allen (hamstring)
• WR Mike Williams (ankle)
• K Dustin Hopkins (hamstring)
• OT Trey Pipkins (knee)
• LB Chris Rumph II (knee)
• TE Tre’ McKitty (hamstring)

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is looking at being without two of his best weapons, Allen and Williams, who didn’t practice during the week and were subsequently ruled out:

On top of that, one player who isn’t on the weekly list of injuries but has remained on LA’s injured-reserve list is EDGE Joey Bosa, who required surgery after injuring his groin after only three games played this season.

It would have been neat to watch the elder Bosa brother face off in a competition against his younger counterpart, Nick Bosa, but that won’t wind up being the case on Sunday night.

Read More: Nick Bosa vs. Joey Bosa would have been epic (but it won’t happen)

Herbert has also been dealing with a shoulder injury, which doesn’t aid Los Angeles’ chances of trying to out-offense the Niners. Combine that with the Chargers’ well-established problems defending against the run, and it’s possible San Francisco winds up with a pretty commanding win in front of a national audience.

The two teams kick off on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 8:20 p.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium.