Connor Colby stepped in when Ben Bartch sustained a high ankle sprain, and his Week 2 showing suggested he can handle left guard duties. He posted zero pressures on 38 pass-blocking snaps and earned a 73.1 pass-blocking grade, signaling solid early integration into the 49ers’ interior. Bartch’s injury opens a door for Colby to lock onto the job, at least temporarily, as San Francisco weighs its cost-controlled rookie options.

Bartch’s modest one-year deal and the team’s pursuit of affordable, draft-driven depth make Colby’s rise particularly significant. With Dominick Puni in the mix and Nick Zakelj pushed down the depth chart, Colby could form a compelling guard duo with Puni, enabling a longer window of contention for a squad chasing another title run while contending with OL fragility.