Reuben Foster carted off with ankle injury

San Francisco 49ers first-round draft pick Reuben Foster suffered a lower leg injury in his team’s Week 1 game against the Carolina Panthers, and early indications are that it could be serious.

The injury was reportedly to Foster’s right ankle. He was carted off the field.

49ers linebacker and potential impact rookie Reuben Foster carted off with an ankle injury.

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) September 10, 2017

Foster was expected to be a big contributor on San Francisco’s defense in his rookie season, so losing him would be a significant blow. The 49ers were already thin at linebacker after Malcolm Smith suffered a torn pectoral muscle back in August and landed on injured reserve.

If he hadn’t have been involved in a bizarre incident with a hospital worker during the NFL Scouting Combine, Foster likely would have been a top-five pick. The Niners got him at No. 31 overall.