Although the 49ers have plenty of veterans, one could argue this is quickly becoming the year of the rookie for the 49ers. The 49ers inserted Anthony Davis and Mike Iupati into the starting lineup at the beginning of training camp and they have definitely run with it (or taken ownership as the team seems to prefer).
Now, it sounds like we may see another rookie in the starting lineup. Takeo Spikes bruised his knee this past Monday against the Saints and rookie linebacker NaVorro Bowman made his way into the lineup during the game. Now, it sounds like Bowman is expecting to start this Sunday against the Chiefs.
Bowman was brought in to be the guy of the future, but with Spikes getting banged up, the opportunity is approaching much quicker than expected. Takeo Spikes has been very solid for the 49ers, but if Bowman excels in this potential audition, I wouldn't be shocked if Spikes saw his playing time curtailed once he's healthy. Spikes is a leader on this team, but he's a free agent after this year and the team has been looking for a long term answer at the Ted position for a while. Assuming Bowman does end up starting on Sunday, he'll definitely be a guy worth watching closely all game long.