The first injury report of the week gave both sides plenty to monitor ahead of Sunday’s Raiders-49ers matchup, and the biggest name on it is Christian McCaffrey.
San Francisco’s star running back was held out Wednesday with a hamstring issue, landing on a long list of players whose status is already worth watching. McCaffrey has missed every Wednesday practice this season because of rest and load management, but this time the hamstring injury is the reason he was absent, even after the bye.
He was hurt early in the 49ers’ Week 7 game and said afterward that he isn’t worried. Still, if he can’t go, that would swing this game in a major way.
The 49ers’ opening report is loaded with notable names. Mike Evans sat out with rib and Achilles injuries, while Deebo Samuel also did not practice as he continues to work back from a hamstring issue that has kept him out since Week 5. Siran Neal was another DNP with knee and foot concerns.
There is some good news mixed in for San Francisco. Nick Bosa was limited Wednesday as he works back from knee and calf injuries, and his return would be a huge boost after missing Weeks 4 through 7. He has played in only five games since the end of the 2024 season, but he is back on the field and trending toward Sunday.
The secondary could also get help. Marques Sigle was limited with an ankle injury after being sidelined since Week 4, and Nate Hobbs was limited as well while dealing with an adductor injury that has kept him out for the first seven games.
Demarcus Robinson, Upton Stout, Christian Kirk, Luke Gifford and Garrett Wallow were all limited, while Mykel Williams was a full participant. Trent Williams did not practice because of rest.
Kirk made his season debut in Week 7, so his presence on the field again looks likely. Stout also appears to be moving in the right direction after missing Week 7. Robinson’s return from injured reserve gives San Francisco another option in a receiver room that has been hit hard.
For Las Vegas, the first report was shorter but still important. Darien Porter did not practice with a groin injury after going down on the first play in Week 8, and Kubiak has said it remains a day-by-day situation. If Porter cannot play, Jermod McCoy and Zeke Masses would again be pressed into action.
Foley Fatukasi and Thomas Booker IV were limited with shoulder/elbow and ankle injuries, respectively, while Ian Thomas was limited with an ankle issue. Tonka Hemingway was a full participant after leaving Sunday’s game early with a stinger and playing just 13 snaps.
Hemingway’s availability matters for a Raiders defense that will be tested by a San Francisco offense that can punish mistakes quickly. Booker, Fatukasi and Thomas are all useful pieces, and their limited status early in the week suggests caution more than alarm.
In Other News...
Greg Papa And Raiders Finally Have An Emotional Reunion Story
Greg Papas long run as the Raiders play-by-play voice made him one of the more recognizable figures in the franchises modern history, and his ties to the organization have taken on a more personal tone in recent months. Now the 49ers radio play-by-play announcer, Papa said in an interview on the JT The Brick Show that his relationship with Raiders owner Mark Davis has improved after a difficult stretch that changed the perspective around their connection.
Papa revealed that the two had drifted apart before his acute lymphoblastic leukemia diagnosis in July 2025, but the illness brought a meaningful reconciliation. He said Davis reached out soon after the diagnosis and later brought him back to Las Vegas for a special honor tied to Al Davis, a gesture that underscored how much the relationship had shifted since their earlier friction. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Young Defense Faces Its Biggest Test Yet Against San Francisco
The Raiders got a needed defensive lift in their Week 8 win over the Jets, a reminder that even in the first year of Rob Leonards rebuild, there are signs of progress. The work has centered on a young back end, with several first- and second-year players getting thrown into real responsibility early and learning on the fly as the season unfolds.
San Francisco brings a different kind of challenge, the sort that can expose every young edge and every missed assignment. For Las Vegas, this is less about one game than about measuring how far the defense has come against a roster built on discipline, depth and pressure from all angles, with the next step in that evaluation still waiting on Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Midseason Rankings Show Whats Carrying This 4-4 Team
At the midpoint of the season, the Raiders 4-4 record looks a lot more understandable when you sort the roster unit by unit. The latest evaluation of the position groups points to a team that has found real stability in a few key spots, with the discussion centered on how much production the offense has gotten from its top pass catchers and how that has helped keep Las Vegas afloat through the first half.
The most interesting part of the breakdown is how the Raiders are getting meaningful contributions from places that were supposed to be more of a question mark. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer have given the offense a dependable foundation, while Kirk Cousins has been one of the bigger surprises of the season after a strong opening stretch. The rankings make clear that Las Vegas has some genuine strengths carrying it right now, even if the full picture of where this team stands is still being sorted out. [Read more 🡒]