Analysis: Injuries already piling up, forcing teams to turn to the next man up

The next man up sees plenty of action in the NFL.

Injuries already are accruing across the league, knocking out several star players and forcing teams to turn to backups and reserves.

Everyone has to be ready because “one play away” is more reality than a cliche in football. The best teams at the end of the season often are the ones who have the depth to overcome injuries early on.

The inactives read like a Pro Bowl roster.

Russell Wilson hasn’t made his debut for Pittsburgh because of a calf injury sustained in the preseason. Jordan Love went down with a knee injury in Green Bay’s season opener. Miami lost Tua Tagovailoa for at least four games and possibly longer after he suffered his fourth concussion in five years last week.

Those are just the starting quarterbacks on the sideline.

Reigning NFC champion San Francisco keeps losing playmakers. Already missing running back Christian McCaffrey because of Achilles tendinitis, the 49ers won’t have wide receiver Deebo Samuel this weekend due to a calf injury. All-Pro tight end George Kittle missed practice Thursday with a sore hamstring and his status for Sunday is uncertain.

That may limit what coach Kyle Shanahan calls on offense.

“We still have the same amount of plays, just somewhat different styles of plays, different people in different spots,” he said. “You eliminate some special things that you would only do for those guys, but the number doesn’t change. Just, there’s things those guys do very well. Nothing other guys can’t do. But there’s kind of different percentages on how much you call them and things like that.”

Brock Purdy still has Brandon Aiyuk as a go-to receiver and Jordan Mason has 247 yards rushing and two touchdowns filling in for McCaffrey.

“Obviously it sucks not having your guys like Deebo and Christian and stuff, so it’s like, all right, how can we figure out to get the ball to other guys,” Purdy said. “But man, we’ve got playmakers. We’ve got a really good scheme, great play caller and some great players that step up in the roles and do their job really well. So for me, I still have to do my job, in terms of my reads and my progressions, more so than I need to now change the way I think and make sure I’m getting it to this guy or that guy because a couple guys are out. It’s not like that.”

The 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams, a team that’s also depleted. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp has an ankle injury and Puka Nacua is on injured reserve with a knee injury.

Matthew Stafford not only is missing his two top targets but he’s playing behind a banged up offensive line. Guard Steve Avila (knee) and tackle Joe Noteboom (ankle) are on IR.

“There are a lot of different moving parts but our job is to be able to figure it out all right, how do we move forward? How do we represent the things that we want to represent?” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “I like the way the guys have come in here with a good look in their eye and we have to have a great week of preparation.”

The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs lost running back Isiah Pacheco indefinitely. Pacheco had surgery this week after breaking his fibula.

The Bengals were missing wide receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) the first two games and he’s questionable this week. Eagles wideout A.J. Brown (calf) is doubtful this week after missing one game and Bears wideout Keenan Allen (heel) is questionable. Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson (quadriceps) is also battling an injury.

Texans running back Joe Mixon (ankle) is questionable, though it seems he escaped a more serious injury after what he thought was a hip-drop tackle that wasn’t called against the Bears.

There are plenty of talented defensive players out, too. Bills linebacker Matt Milano, Colts defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown and Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland are on injured reserve.

Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore is aiming to return this week after missing one game.

The Buccaneers were missing defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield last week when nose tackle Vita Vea sustained a sprained knee ligament in a win at Detroit.

“Everybody that made our roster was asked that, ‘You have to be able to do your job. When your number is called, be ready to go,’” Buccaneers defensive assistant coach Kacy Rogers said. “And that’s kind of worked out for us because we’ve had a lot of guys step up when guys went down and we’ve had guys (go) from one position to another position. It’s just kind of worked out that guys were ready when their numbers (were) called.”

Players have to be prepared to go because the NFL is a collision sport, starters are going to keep getting injured and teams will have to turn to backups. ___