The San Francisco 49ers will open the 2026 season without defensive tackle Alfred Collins after the 24-year-old suffered a torn patellar tendon during training in Melbourne.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the injury, which ends Collins' season before Friday's historic game against the Los Angeles Rams at the MCG. The timing makes it particularly damaging for a defence already adjusting its front.
What changes up front
Collins played in all 16 games as a rookie after San Francisco selected him in the second round of the 2025 draft. His absence removes a young interior defender the 49ers expected to build around in a season where the pass rush needed to improve.
San Francisco is now considering CJ West or Gracen Halton to start alongside Osa Odighizuwa. Defensive end Sam Okuayinonu has also been dealing with a broken foot, leaving the front thinner before it has played a regular-season snap.
Why it matters against the Rams
The opponent makes the loss harder to hide. Los Angeles can stress a defensive front with personnel variety, a veteran quarterback and an offence that was among the league's best last season. The 49ers cannot simply treat Collins' loss as a rotational issue if the Rams are able to force their replacement tackles to play long stretches.
The Melbourne setting will make this one of the most visible games San Francisco plays all year. Unfortunately for the 49ers, one of the lasting football stories of their Australian preparation is now a season-ending injury.