The 49ers opened Week 7 preparation without six players on the field, a familiar sight for a team that has spent plenty of practice weeks managing injuries.
Nick Bosa was among the absentees again with a calf issue, though Kyle Shanahan did leave open the possibility of him practicing on Thursday. Even so, the best move may be to keep him sidelined through the bye week that follows this game and let him bank as much rest as possible for the stretch run.
Mike Evans also sat out, which was expected after he left Monday night’s game with an Achilles problem. He’s dealing with Achilles tendinitis, and the 49ers have to treat that injury with extreme caution.
Evans did not take part in a single practice leading into the Washington Commanders game, yet the team still played him. The source called that a mistake, especially with the 49ers having been through something similar two years ago with Christian McCaffrey.
At this point, Evans is unlikely to play against the Falcons, and Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders does not look realistic either.
That leaves San Francisco leaning on Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing and veteran Brandin Cooks, with Brock Purdy needing to manufacture offense from that group.
The other players who missed practice were Deebo Samuel (hamstring), Luke Gifford (groin), Upton Stout (shoulder) and Mykel Williams (knee). Samuel and Gifford were expected absences, and Stout’s issue is also no surprise after he exited Monday night’s game with the injury.
Williams was the one name that stands out. The 49ers listed him out with a knee problem, though there’s at least a question whether it’s just soreness after two straight intense weeks. Bosa dealt with knee soreness in training camp once his workload ramped up, and Williams could be dealing with something similar.
For now, Williams and Stout are the two injuries worth watching most closely during the week. If both are back on the practice field by Friday, they should be set for the Falcons.
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Ex-49ers Depth Piece Suddenly Became A Much Bigger NFL Story
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The situation only became more notable when Robert Saleh addressed it, calling it a lapse in judgment while still voicing support for Elliott. Saleh also nudged other teams to take a hard look at him, which leaves the attention less on the dismissal itself and more on whether another locker room is willing to give him a second chance after such a messy episode. [Read more 🡒]