SANTA CLARA – Rookie defensive back D.J. Reed figured he might be needed on Sunday when the 49ers played at Kansas City.
He was correct, but he was also wrong.
Strong safety Jaquiski Tartt was not expected to play, so Reed, Antone Exum and Tyvis Powell saw practice time last week in that position. Reed also continued to sharpen his skills at nickel back, where K’Waun Williams is the starter with the team’s nickel defense.
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But when free safety Adrian Colbert went down with a hip injury in the first half, Reed went into a spot he was not expecting to play.
“I have to be ready for anything,” said Reed, a fifth-round pick from Kansas State. “During that week, I primarily studied nickel and strong safety all week. When A.C. went down, I had to go to free. Me being a professional, I have to be ready to basically know every position, so I can play at 100. That was on me. I just got to be ready to play any position.
“I got to be ready for anything. My coaches see me as a versatile player, so I got to be ready for anything and study harder than everybody else.”
Reed said he felt like he did not play well, citing a couple of missed tackles, an error in coverage and two passes he could have intercepted (both would not have counted because of penalties, anyway).
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With Tartt and Colbert questionable for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Reed could find himself making his first career start against Philip Rivers, who ranks in the top 10 of every significant all-time passing category.
Rivers would be expected to try to manipulate Reed to make plays down the field.
“I can see that. I can see him try to throw me off. I can definitely see that,” Reed said. “I’m looking forward to it. I love challenges. I feel like our team loves challenges.”
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Rivers will take his shots to make big plays, which also gives the defensive backfield opportunities to come away with turnovers. The 49ers have yet to collect an interception this season.
“You can’t fall for all of his look-offs and everything,” Shanahan said on “49ers Game Plan,” which airs Saturday at 8 p.m. on NBC Bay Area (Ch. 3). “He knows what coverage you’re in, and he knows how to attack it. You got to realize he’s going to get some big plays.
“But also when you play against aggressive quarterbacks who are very competitive like him, they don’t want to give up on plays. He’s going to take some shots and he’s going to give us a couple of opportunities in the game. Whether we get one, two or three, we got to come down with those.”