It's not been a particularly easy start to the year for the San Francisco 49ers.
Even without the team's up-and-down play, leading to a fully justified 2-2 record, the spectre of injuries has loomed large over the season, with a number of the team's best-known players missing key time throughout.
This continued even in Sunday's win over the New England Patriots, where the brief cheer given from a get-right win over their AFC East foes was tempered by the loss of defenders Jordan Elliott (knee) and Fred Warner (ankle), among others, during the game.
While the severity of these injuries is still to be confirmed, there's no doubt some players will have to step into increased roles as the season continues to roll on, if the Niners are to achieve their stated goals for the year.
Let's take a look at some possible candidates.
Linebacker Dee Winters
It's easiest to start with someone who should perhaps be playing anyway.
Second-year linebacker Dee Winters has actually had a pretty testing start to the season. He had some up-and-down play during the preseason, but then, with a spot technically within his grasp due to the absence of Dre Greenlaw, he found himself battling a troublesome ankle injury which ruled him out entirely of San Francisco's opening two games against the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets.
Now, Winiters is both available and active but still seems to be struggling to see the field, logging very few defensive snaps and so far only recording one tackle. Whether this is an injury issue or coaching trust issue is unknown, although head coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers' reluctance to play young players generally may be contributing to his lack of action.
However, given the poor play of the veterans ahead of him, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and De'Vondre Campbell (particularly in the Niners' two losses), and the fact that Warner is battling through his own ankle injury, the time might be right for Winters to see more snaps on defense.
It's not that long ago that Warner himself was praising Winters, and it's long seemed like the team would like to work him into the lineup, particularly with Greenlaw out and Campbell and Flannigan-Fowles both only being signed through this season.
Winters is a good athlete who can make some explosive plays, and while he is raw and prone to mistakes, it's hard to imagine that he wouldn't give the 49ers linebacking corps something of a pop heading into the business end of the season.
Defensive end Sam Okuayinonu
Defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu could be the latest player to roll off the Niners' defensive line reclamation project production line, if his early production is any measure of his potential.
Having originally made the 53-man roster before some roster manouvering saw him land on the practice squad, Okuayinonu has been active for three of San Francisco's four games and finds himself currently as a permanent member of the roster, rather than the practice squad elevation he was initially.
He's taken that chance well, too, with a particularly strong game against the Patriots. He showed up well against the run, looking every inch the high-effort, high-motor type the 49ers love to develop, while he was also credited with a forced fumble in the contest.
His usage took a significant uptick from his debut against the Los Angeles Rams, where he also impressed and logged his first NFL sack.
Okuayinonu's playing time looks likely to increase as attrition continues to wear down the depth on the defensive line. Jordan Elliott has a knee issue of unknown severity, while defensive tackle Javon Hargrave might make it back for the playoff run (assuming the 49ers get there!) but is out for the regular season.
Outside of that, younger players who would've been expected to continue their ascent towards playing time, like Drake Jackson and Kalia Davis (more on him in a second!), have been more long-term absentees.
Given the depth the 49ers historically like to employ at the defensive linet, there's a huge opportunity ahead for Okuayinonu. His consistent play already seems to have beat out Robert Beal Jr. in the rotation, but if the former can continue the solid things he's shown so far, he could and should become a key part of the Niners' options in the trenches.
Safety Malik Mustapha
This one already seems to be happening, given rookie safety Malik Mustapha started in relief of the injured Talanoa Hufanga in Sunday's win over the Patriots, but it's worth documenting a number of things the young defensive back could add to the team moving forward.
The 49ers have looked their best in years prior when able to rotate youth and experience at safety. Think about the trios of Tashaun Gipson, J'ayir Brown and the aforementioned Hufanga, or Jaquiski Tartt, Gipson and Hufanga.
If Mustapha can continue his development, he may well allow the team to do that, as well as employ some three-safety looks when required.
He'll need to fix some inconsistencies in his play -- he had a high-profile whiff in run support both late against the Rams and early against the Patriots -- but he's showing a knack for finding the ball, which is key for any young safety, and he brings a hard-hitting energy San Francisco lacks without Hufanga in the lineup.
There's certainly a lot of rawness to Mustapha's game, but as Hufanga continues to work his way back from both his current injury and his long-term one which robbed him of most of last season, the rookie has a vital role to play in ensuring the 49ers continue to play at a high level on the back end. Given the energy he's bringing in his current snaps, it would be a surprise if defensive coordinator Nick Sorenson and his lieutenants don't find a way to get him on the field a little more often.
In fact, given the Niners are both banged up and looking for slightly more playmaking ability at linebacker in the absence of Greenlaw, you might even see some defensive wrinkles that allow him and Hufanga to play a little closer to the ball as well.
Wide receivers Jacob Cowing or Ricky Pearsall
Both of San Francisco's new young wide receivers have a slight problem: There's two, possibly three All-Pro talents ahead of them.
However, Brandon Aiyuk has stuttered to start the season after his elongated contract dispute, while Deebo Samuel frequently suffers from wear and tear throughout the season due to his all-action style, usually missing at least a couple of games.
While Jauan Jennings has ably stepped into the breach to provide playmaking in lieu of at least one of those being available or on top form, the 49ers could really use some production from their two most recent draft picks at the position.
Assuming Jacob Cowing's injury in Sunday's game against the Patriots isn't too serious, he seems like he could add another dimension to the offense. He's already looking like a smooth route-runner, and close inspection of his admittedly-brief sojourn on offense on Sunday shows a player also committed to throwing blocks in the run game, something that's a non-negotiable to get on the field for Kyle Shanahan.
He's easily a better player than his closest competition for playing time in Ronnie Bell, while veteran Chris Conley frequently gives a yeoman's effort but is unlikely to flash much playmaking ability at this stage in his career.
Ricky Pearsall is more of a projection, given all the things he has to battle, including a long-standing shoulder injury and, oh yes, the fact he was shot just under a month ago. But his talent level isn't in doubt, and he was drawing rave reviews throughout offseason practices. If he can shake off all the things that have thus far gone against him, he could provide a great mid-to-late season shot in the arm to the offense.
Regardless, the 49ers need one of the two to show out prominently, particularly as Aiyuk continues to get back up to speed.
Defensive tackles Evan Anderson or Kalia Davis
It feels like a very long time ago that we were talking about Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw at defensive tackle. Both left the team in the offseason, and the Niners, to their credit, remade the position admirably, acquiring both Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott, who have lived up to their billing so far.
However, things are getting a little thin at the key inside spot.
Javon Hargrave, San Francisco's big ticket at the position, is done for the year with a triceps injury, while Jordan Elliott is ailing with an injury as well, as mentioned in the Sam Okuayinonu section of this article.
While Kevin Givens is performing admirably and probably had his best game as a pro against the Patriots, the 49ers would surely love to have more depth step up, and that's where these two players come in.
Evan Anderson was a pleasant surprise on Sunday.
A relatively hyped undrafted free agent, who drew high praise from defensive line coach Kris Kocurek in the offseason -- comparing him to D.J. Jones, a much valued former veteran -- Anderson recorded some very good snaps in his first NFL experience, following his late elevation from the practice squad. He was solid against the run, but perhaps most crucially in Hargrave's absence, he was also excellent at pushing the pocket, something that will have definitely opened some eyes among the coaching staff.
Third-year pro Kalia Davis, meanwhile, is a projection similar to Ricky Pearsall in the previous section - but given he was name-checked by Kyle Shanahan in his comments last week on losing Hargrave, and the team seem eager to get him back on the field, with Shanahan saying that his practice window may open this week, it feels as though the plan was always to use Davis as a shot of energy to the D-line depth midway through the season, albeit that it couldn't have been known at the time how much that would be needed.
Both are likely to have to see significant playing time, not just because the 49ers value depth on the D-line as previously explained, but because the situation, particularly on the interior, is starting to look quite thin.
At one point during Sunday's game with the Patriots, only Collins, Givens and Anderson were available who were natural defensive tackles. It's hard to win with a three-man rotation at a two-person spot on the D-line in the NFL.
Therefore, anything Davis and Anderson can add long term, while Elliott works his way back and other moves get considered to beef up the depth, will be a huge boon to San Francisco.
Who do you see stepping up in the absence of some of the 49ers key players?