It's time for our weekly look at the snap count totals for the San Francisco 49ers. Here are some playing time observations from the team's Week 3 home loss against the Los Angeles Rams. Below is a list of reps for each player, broken down by phase of the game.
Takeaways:
- The 49ers divied up reps at tight end far more in Week 3 than in the team's first two games. Geroge Kittle had dominated snaps as the 49ers clear-cut No. 1 tight end. On Thursday, it was almost a even split between Kittle, Garrett Celek and Logan Paulsen. There are a few reasons this may have happened. For starters, Kittle may have reaggrivated his hamstring injury. The rookie may have also been benched for a costly drop in the first half. Or, the 49ers coaching staff felt that Celek could be used more in passing situations and that Paulsen was needed more in blocking situations. Kittle caught 1-of-3 targets for eight yards. Celek's lone catch was a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Paulsen was not targeted.
- Jimmie Ward appears to be back to full strength, having played all 67 defensive snaps against the Rams. Unfortunately, 49ers safeties continue to drop like flies. San Francisco entered the game without Eric Reid and then lost Jaquiski Tartt in the second half. Lorenzo Jerome entered the game after Tartt went down and played 19 snaps.
- Although Robert Saleh hinted that Brock Coyle could see more playing time, the linebacker only played two snaps before leaving with a concussion. Ray-Ray Armstrong continues to dominate reps at weakside linebacker and played 66-of-67 defensive snaps.
- Pierre Garçon left the game briefly in the first half with a hip injury. That allowed Raheem Mostert to get his first offensive snaps of the season. Mostert played eight snaps and ran the ball four times for 11 yards. Unfortunately, Mostert also lost a costly fumble.
- Aldrick Robinson's 27 snaps were a season high. His 33 percent usage rate was up from 18 percent over the first two games. That could mean Robinson's role is increasing. It may also have been a by product of the 49ers offense finding success and running a season-high 82 plays. He had more opportunities to spell the 49ers top two receivers following big plays from Marquise Goodwin and Pierre Garçon.
