The 49ers are heading into Sunday’s NFC West matchup with Arizona carrying a long injury list, and the biggest name on it is one they can least afford to lose. Nick Bosa is among four San Francisco players ruled out for Week 3, leaving the 49ers to navigate a divisional game without one of the league’s top edge rushers.
Bosa, who is dealing with knee and calf issues, did not practice at all this week. Neither did defensive end Romello Height (hand), defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. (ankle), or wide receiver DeMarcus Robinson (ankle). That lack of practice makes the status of all four pretty straightforward: these were injuries that were never going to be pushed through.
The loss of Bosa and Height puts extra pressure on San Francisco’s pass rush, with Keion White and Khalid Kareem likely the names that need to absorb more of the load on Sunday. The 49ers are also thin at receiver after Robinson was placed on IR, joining Ricky Pearsall, De'Zhaun Stribling, and Christian Kirk. That leaves head coach Kyle Shanahan managing a crowded injury picture at a spot where depth is already being tested.
There is some relief elsewhere. The 49ers should be in better shape at defensive tackle even with Thompson sidelined, thanks to Osa Odighizuwa, Gracen Halton, Naquan Jones, Kevin Givens, and Sebastian Valdez. It is not ideal to lose Thompson, but San Francisco has more bodies there than it does on the perimeter.
The one questionable player is Mike Evans, who is dealing with a hip issue. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday before being limited on Friday, making him a possible game-time decision.
If Evans can’t go, it could change how Brock Purdy and the passing game are deployed, especially with the 49ers a little light on starters at wide receiver. In that scenario, George Kittle could see even more attention than usual.
At the other end of the report, Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, and Dre Greenlaw are all expected to play. Each of them got a rest day on Wednesday before returning as full participants the rest of the week, a clear sign San Francisco is managing its veterans carefully this early in the season.
The 49ers enter Week 3 at 2-0 after dominant wins over the Los Angeles Rams and the Miami Dolphins. If they can get a few players to step up along the defensive line and at receiver, they’ll have a strong chance to keep that start rolling and move to 3-0 against Arizona.
In Other News...
Deebo Samuel Just Had One Of The Strangest Stat Lines Ever
Deebo Samuel delivered one of the oddest box-score quirks youll ever see in the 49ers win over the Cardinals, turning an 80-yard hook-and-ladder into a touchdown without officially catching a pass. It was the kind of play that reminded everyone how uniquely dangerous San Francisco can be when Samuel is lined up all over the field and the ball starts moving side to side.
Even stranger, the output came with a bit of history attached. Samuel finished with the most receiving yards in an NFL game without a reception, topping a mark that had stood since 1961, and he added two rushing attempts for 14 yards. For a player whose value often comes from his versatility, this was a rare line that fit the eye test, the highlight reel and the record book all at once. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Win Came With A Bigger Brock Purdy Concern
The 49ers got the result they needed Sunday, outlasting the Cardinals 36-30 in a game that had plenty of familiar San Francisco fingerprints on it. Brock Purdy handled the offense well despite the injury issues around him, George Kittle delivered a pair of touchdowns, Christian McCaffrey found the end zone on the ground, and Fred Warner again set the tone on defense with 17 tackles.
Still, the win came with the kind of discomfort that can linger beyond the final score. Mike Evans exited with a rib strain, Trent Williams was among the key injuries affecting the passing game, and Dre Greenlaw also left with a quad issue, leaving the 49ers to sort through what Sunday cost them as much as what it gave them. For a team that keeps finding ways to win, the bigger question now is how long it can keep doing it while pieces keep dropping out. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Win Came With A Bigger Concern Fans Could Feel
The 49ers got off to a fast start Sunday with a hook-and-ladder touchdown involving Deebo Samuel and Mike Evans, then kept stacking points even as the game started to turn into something more uneasy. Christian McCaffrey added a touchdown of his own, and the defense mixed in stops while the Cardinals found enough offense to stay around the fight, leaving San Francisco ahead at halftime with the kind of lead that can still feel fragile.
What made the win feel bigger than the scoreboard was the injury picture developing around it. Deommodore Lenoir and Mike Evans were among the players who dealt with issues, and for a team trying to build rhythm while scoring in spurts and trading field goals, the concern was impossible to ignore. The 49ers walked into the locker room with control of the game, but also with the kind of health questions that can linger long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]