49ers injury report remains unchanged leading up to Super Bowl LIV

The 49ers injury report on Thursday remained unchanged.

The 49ers on Thursday had no changes on their injury report. No news is good news for San Francisco considering head coach Kyle Shanahan’s optimism that all three players limited in practice will be ready to go Sunday.

Linebacker Kwon Alexander, safety Jaquiski Tartt and running back Tevin Coleman were all limited again. Defensive end Dee Ford remained off the injury report as he continues participating in full practices after dealing with quad and hamstring injuries throughout the season.

Shanahan on Wednesday said he expects Alexander, Tartt and Coleman to play in the Super Bowl. Alexander is still recovering from a torn pectoral that limited his role in the 49ers’ two playoff wins.

Tartt sustained a rib injury in Week 13 in Baltimore and missed the final four games. He had some irritation in his ribs after the NFC championship game, so he’s taking it easy in practices before Sunday.

Coleman returned to practice this week after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the second quarter of the NFC championship. The week off has him on track to play as long as he doesn’t suffer any setbacks in the recovery from that injury.

The final injury report for Sunday will come out Friday. At that point we’ll get confirmation on each player’s availability in the biggest game of the year.

Tevin Coleman out, 3 key players on defense limited in 49ers estimate practice report

The only 49ers player to miss their estimated practice was RB Tevin Coleman.

The 49ers were supposed to have a normal week of practice in the Bye week ahead of Super Bowl LIV. They opted not to have a practice Wednesday, but still had to release an estimated participation report.

There weren’t any surprises on that report.

Tevin Coleman dislocated his shoulder in the NFC championship game. He may be back for the Super Bowl, but he would not have practiced Wednesday.

The trio of Kwon Alexander, Jaquiski Tartt and Dee Ford all would’ve been limited.

Alexander is still easing his way back in after returning from a torn pectoral two weeks ago. He played 25 snaps in the divisional round vs. the Vikings, and 20 in the NFC championship game. He may not have a full practice during the Bye or in the week leading up to the game in an effort to ensure he’s healthy.

Tartt had what Shanahan described as an irritation in the ribs he injured in Week 13 against the Ravens. Tartt missed the final four games, but played every snap in the first two playoff games. His limited participation shouldn’t be a huge concern moving forward.

Ford is in a similar spot to the other two. He’s recovering from a hamstring injury, and additional full work probably isn’t necessary for the pass rush specialist. He may get some full practices in before Super Bowl LIV, but the team will want to be certain he can play.

There was a minor ankle injury for Dre Greenlaw in the NFC championship, but it wouldn’t have hindered him in practice. He was listed as a full participant.

Here’s the full participation report:

Did not participate

RB Tevin Coleman (shoulder)

Limited participation

DE Dee Ford (quad, hamstring)
LB Kwon Alexander (pectoral)
SS Jaquiski Tartt (ribs)

Full participation

LB Dre Greenlaw

49ers officially rule out 6 defensive players vs. Falcons

The 49ers will miss six defensive players when they face the Falcons on Sunday.

The 49ers will be shorthanded on the defensive side going into their Week 15 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. They officially ruled out six players for Sunday, all on defense, including three of their five starters in the secondary.

This doesn’t come as a huge surprise since head coach Kyle Shanahan ruled out Jullian Taylor a week ago when he said the defensive lineman would miss multiple weeks with an elbow injury. Then he ruled out Dee Ford and Richard Sherman on Monday. Then Thursday said DJ Jones was going on Injured Reserve.

With K’Waun Williams and Jaquiki Tartt both missing practice Wednesday and Thursday, the writing was on the wall that both players would be out Sunday.

The 49ers were supposed to get healthier to close the year, and they have for the most part on offense, but the defensive side has taken a pretty massive hit over the last couple weeks. That’s only going to make their battle for a division title more difficult.

Here’s the official injury report:

Out

DE Dee Ford (quad, hamstring)
DT D.J. Jones (ankle)
CB Richard Sherman (hamstring)
S Jaquiski Tartt (ribs)
DT Jullian Taylor (elbow)
CB K’Waun Williams (concussion)

49ers hit hard by injuries after Saints game

The 49ers got a slew of bad injury news from head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday announced a slew of injuries to key starters.

Center Weston Richburg is out for the season with a torn patellar tendon. Dee Ford and Richard Sherman will both miss multiple weeks with hamstring injuries.

Richburg was carted off in the second half of the team’s win in New Orleans after getting his leg caught underneath him on a third down run play. Shanahan wasn’t optimistic in his postgame press conference after Richburg left the locker room on crutches.

The 49ers signed Richburg last offseason and he played through painful knee and quad injuries that both required offseason surgery. He bounced back with a terrific 2019 campaign before his injury Sunday.

Ben Garland will likely replace Richburg as the starting center. He signed with San Francisco in the offseason after two years in Denver and three in Seattle. He has seven starts across his six seasons.

Ford was dealing with a hamstring injury prior to Sunday’s game in New Orleans. He aggravated it early in the game and did not return. His absence will mean more time on the edge for Arik Armstead and Jeremiah Valoaga.

Sherman was banged up a couple times, but came up with a hamstring issue late in the fourth quarter and didn’t enter the game on the Saints’ final offensive possession. Emmanuel Moseley will likely step into the starting cornerback spot across from Ahkello Witherspoon.

Cornerback K’Waun Williams exited late with a concussion and is in concussion protocol. If he can’t go Sunday against the Falcons, DJ Reed would probably be the starting nickel corner.

Safety Jaquiski Tartt is still day-to-day with a rib injury. He was out for Sunday’s game, and defensive tackle DJ Jones is nursing an ankle sprain.

The 49ers need to get healthy over these next few weeks, and suddenly the first-round playoff bye feels more important than ever. San Francisco can secure a first-round bye if they win their final three games. That extra week off could be the difference between having players like Sherman and Ford for the first playoff game, and not having them.

George Kittle, Matt Breida doubtful for 49ers vs. Cardinals

The 49ers injury situation isn’t getting much better going into their matchup with the Cardinals.

The 49ers injury situation was supposed to get better during the second half of the season. It’s gone the other direction.

San Francisco faces the Cardinals on Sunday, a team they snuck past 28-25 two weeks ago. This time they’ll likely do so without tight end George Kittle, running back Matt Breida, and kicker Robbie Gould. All three are officially ‘doubtful’ on the Week 11 injury report after missing practice all week.

Kittle is working through ankle and knee injuries he suffered in Week 9 against Arizona. Breida is resting an ankle ailment he aggravated in the Week 10 loss to the Seahawks, and Gould is nursing a sore quad he hurt in practice leading up to the Seattle game.

The good news is cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon is expected to return, although he’s officially questionable. Witherspoon has been out since spraining his foot in Week 3. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders suffered a rib cartilage injury against the Seahawks. He’s questionable, but told reporters he’s going to try and play, per Matt Barrows of the Athletic.

Here is the full injury report:

Out

DT D.J. Jones (groin)
OT Joe Staley (finger)

Doubtful

RB Matt Breida (ankle)
K Robbie Gould (right quadricep)
TE George Kittle (knee, ankle)

Questionable

LB Azeez Al-Shaair (concussion)
CB Ahkello Witherspoon (foot, quad)
RB Raheem Mostert (knee)
WR Dante Pettis (back)
WR Emmanuel Sanders (ribs)

Rookie WR Jalen Hurd not ready to return to practice yet

The 49ers receiving corps will need to wait longer if rookie WR Jalen Hurd is the answer to their woes.

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Monday night exposed some of the flaws in the 49ers’ receiving corps. They need help at that spot, but reinforcements may have to wait. Third-year slot receiver Trent Taylor is on Injured Reserve with a foot injury, but setbacks have pushed him out of real contention to return in 2019. Rookie wide receiver Jalen Hurd, who’s on IR with a back injury, is eligible to return leading up to Week 11, but head coach Kyle Shanahan said that’s not likely to happen.

Shanahan on Tuesday told reporters attending a conference call that Hurd was checked out last week and didn’t meet enough requirements to get back on the field per Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee. The door for Hurd to play in his first NFL season is still ajar though.

That provides a glimmer of hope that the receiving corps could get some much-needed help from the rookie with a diverse skill set.

Hurd is still learning the position after transitioning from running back in his final two years of college, but he was very effective in limited preseason action with a pair of touchdown receptions in his debut. He hurt his back in the lead up to Week 2 of the preseason, then left the second game after just 10 snaps. He’s been out since.

The 49ers on Monday saw nine dropped passes by their receivers, including one that led to an interception, and multiple others that could’ve been picked off after getting tipped in the air by receivers. It was an abysmal showing from a group that had an opportunity step up with George Kittle ruled out before the game, and veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders exiting in the second quarter.

Hurd is a big-bodied slot option who gives San Francisco a physicality they don’t presently have at the position. He’d be a big help for a receiving corps that needs it, but they’ll have to wait at least another week to get the rookie in uniform at practice.

3 49ers questionable to return with injuries

The 49ers in the second quarter announced a trio of players were questionable to return to Monday’s game vs. Seattle.

The 49ers announced a trio of injuries in the second quarter Monday night.

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders was announced as questionable to return with a rib injury shortly after he was seen walking to the locker room without a helmet. He had two catches for 24 yards.

Center Weston Richburg left the game with a hand injury, and defensive tackle DJ Jones went down with a groin injury.

San Francisco is already without starting tight end George Kittle, so losing another blocker and another pass catching option is a tough draw for the 49ers offense. Ben Garland stepped in for Richburg at center.

We’ll provide updates as soon as they become available.