The 49ers are heading into Atlanta with a short-handed offense and a defense that will have to absorb another round of injuries.
San Francisco’s inactive list includes QB Kurtis Rourke, DE Nick Bosa, WR Mike Evans, LB Luke Gifford, WR Deebo Samuel, S Marques Sigle, and LB Garret Wallow.
That means four receivers who were part of the Week 1 mix - Mike Evans, De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, and Deebo Samuel - are out of the picture for this one. None of them will be in uniform against the Falcons, leaving the 49ers to sort through the rotation and see how they deploy Christian Kirk, as well as how much he’s on the field.
The depth chart is getting stretched enough that rookie Enrique Cruz is active for the first time. He’s not expected to play offensive tackle, but his presence says plenty about how battered this roster has become entering Week 7. San Francisco will still dress nine offensive linemen.
Christian McCaffrey could also be headed for a different kind of workload. Last week, Kyle Shanahan moved him around the formation more than ever, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him used in a Cooper Kupp-style role, running plenty of underneath routes to keep the offense on schedule.
There’s help back at linebacker with Dre Greenlaw returning, but Gifford and Wallow are both out. That leaves Tatum Bethune and Jalen Graham in special teams roles, and the 49ers will see whether that changes anything on game day.
In the secondary, Upton Stout is back after a shoulder injury kept him out of Monday Night Football. He’ll be tested right away by Drake London, Bijan Robinson, and Jahan Dotson, all of whom can stress these cornerbacks in different ways.
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The long-term question is whether that arrangement lasts. Shanahan would like Morris to stay in place, and Morris has already acknowledged how rare head-coaching openings can be while sounding content in his current role, but that kind of success tends to travel quickly in the NFL. For now, it is only a possibility hanging over the partnership, yet it is the sort of future issue San Francisco may have to think about sooner than it would like. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Great Takes A Public Shot At Mike Evans' Game
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What Owens and Todd Gurley were getting at was the way Evans has carved out his success in the league, with route nuance and the kind of quarterback support that keeps a receiver productive year after year. It was a familiar kind of ex-player debate, part praise and part critique, and one that put a spotlight on how Evans greatness is viewed by peers who understand the margins at that position. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Suddenly Face A Christian McCaffrey Concern They Can't Ignore
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Before he exited, McCaffrey was already doing his usual damage, helping the offense both on the ground and through the air. San Francisco had to adjust in the meantime, and Kaelon Black helped steady things with a 30-yard touchdown run while McCaffrey was out, but the bigger concern for the 49ers is whether their most versatile weapon can stay available long enough to keep the offense on schedule. [Read more 🡒]