Tartt’s Loss Forces Rookie into 49ers’ Lineup

Step on up, Adrian Colbert.

Colbert, the 49ers’ seventh-round draft pick from Miami this year, will now move into the starting lineup with Sunday’s season-ending injury to Jaquiski Tartt. With Tartt and Jimmie Ward now lost for the remainder of the season – both with fractured forearms – Colbert will get a crash course in secondary play over the final seven games for the 0-9 Niners.

Colbert took over for Tartt Sunday after Tartt was injured in the second quarter while tackling Arizona tight end Tony Niklas in a 20-10 defeat. As Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group noted, Colbert was tested by the Cardinals and at one point made a big play, breaking up a deep pass by Arizona quarterback Drew Stanton.

“Adrian’s done a good job,” 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told the media after Sunday’s loss. “One play, the quarterback tried to look him off, they threw a go-route and Adrian showed very good range to break it up. I’ve seen him play physical. … With Tartt’s broken arm, sounds like he’s going to get more opportunities, so hopefully he continues to get better.”

The injuries to Tartt and Ward have been crushing to San Francisco, which is counting on the two to grow and solidify the safety position. Tartt, in particular, has played well at both free safety and strong safety. David Fucillo of SB Nation noted that Tartt ranked No. 11 in the NFL on this season’s list of top-performing safeties, according to the analytic website Pro Football Focus.

Tartt had 54 tackles this season at the time of his injury, plus an interception, and would easily have surpassed his tackle totals of 66 and 61 his first two seasons after being a second-round pick in 2015 from Samford.

Wrote Fucillo: “Tartt is a guy they can build around on the back end, and given (Eric) Reid’s uncertain status following this season (when he can become a free agent), I imagine we’ll see Tartt back in the starting lineup when the offseason workout program begins next April.”