Shanahan planning to be without Brandon Aiyuk until roughly week six

NFL preseason is underway. The San Francisco 49ers have a game against the Denver Broncos under their belt, which featured very few snaps from starters.

Training camp and preseason are always a great opportunity for players deeper down the bench to get some reps. San Francisco’s handful of injuries has added to that.

Rookie running back Jordan Watkins suffered an injury in Saturday’s action, which 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan shared has been ruled a high ankle sprain.

“Those usually take about a month,” he told reporters in Santa Clara.

Shanahan provided injury updates for several other players Monday, including top wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

“I kind of view all those guys around the same time. Whether it’s [Malik] Mustapha, whether it’s [Kurtis] Rourke, or whether it’s Brandon [Aiyuk]. With where they’re at, I always see them around week six, which means that could be week ten, means it could be week five.”

“But that’s the area where I start thinking about it, which is a long way away,” he continued. “I know it’s not week one or anything like that, so it’s something that I’m not really thinking about too much.”

Given the variance in their injuries, Shanahan seems to be expressing his mindset primarily is preparing to be without them for a while, rather than providing an exact timeline.

For example, with Aiyuk sidelined, it’s added targets for Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, George Kittle, and an opportunity for others to earn a spot.

More San Francisco 49ers coverage on Sactown Sports

The San Francisco 49ers opened up their exhibition slate with a 30-9 loss to the Denver Broncos at Levi’s Stadium over the weekend.

Here are postgame comments from head coach Kyle Shanahan, backup quarterback Mac Jones, and more players as the 49ers prepare to get back on the practice field ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the Raiders in Las Vegas.

Read More:

Shanahan on 49ers preseason opener: ‘Too many mistakes’

Upcoming San Francisco 49ers Schedule

Preseason

• Saturday, August 16th – @ Las Vegas Raiders – 1:00 PM PT
• Saturday, August 23rd – vs. Los Angeles Chargers – 5:30 PM PT

Regular Season

• Sunday, September 7th – @ Seattle Seahawks – 1:05 PM PT  *Season opener*
• Sunday, September 14th – @ New Orleans Saints – 10:00 AM PT
• Sunday, September 21st – vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1:25 PM PT
• Sunday, September 28th – vs. Jacksonville Jaguars – 1:05 PM PT
• Thursday, October 2nd – @ Los Angeles Rams – 5:15 PM PT

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