George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Emmanuel Sanders all officially questionable vs. Packers

The 49ers got good injury news on their status report for Sunday night vs. the Packers.

The 49ers won’t have all hands on deck Sunday night against the Packers, but they’ll be closer than they were last week. Their official injury report for Sunday listed George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders all as questionable for their showdown with Green Bay. All three are expected to play.

San Francisco’s offense hasn’t looked quite right since Kittle hurt his knee and ankle on the first play of the 49ers’ Week 9 win over the Cardinals. They’ve struggled to run the ball and their passing attack hasn’t been effective stretching the field vertically.

That second part was exacerbated with Sanders’ rib injury, although Samuel’s emergence with 16 catches in the two games without Kittle and with Sanders banged up. However, there was some cause for concern when Samuel showed up on the injury report with a shoulder injury that kept him out of practice Wednesday, and limited Thursday and Friday.

Perhaps the most significant name on the injury report is defensive end Dee Ford. He’s been ruled out with a hamstring injury, although that’s not a huge surprise after head coach Kyle Shanahan said early in the week that Ford would likely miss multiple games. He hurt his hamstring chasing down Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray in the second quarter last week.

Ford is the second defensive end to go down for the 49ers in as many weeks. They lost Ronald Blair III to a torn ACL during the Seahawks game two weeks ago. Damontre Moore should see an uptick in playing time on the edge in passing situations.

Matt Breida is officially doubtful as he continues to recover from an ankle injury he aggravated against the Seahawks. That’s been a nagging injury the team has decided to keep the running back off of so he’s healthier down the stretch.

Here’s what the full status report for Sunday looks like:

Out

OT Joe Staley (finger)
DE Dee Ford (hamstring)

Doubtful

RB Matt Breida (ankle)
K Robbie Gould (quad)

Questionable

TE George Kittle (knee, ankle)
WR Deebo Samuel (shoulder)
WR Emmanuel Sanders (ribs)

49ers get 3 key pass catchers back in practice

Thursday came with a lot of good injury news for the 49ers.

The 49ers’ practice field was a little more crowded Thursday as the team gears up for a crucial showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

Injury circumstances were dire for San Francisco on Wednesday when George Kittle, Emmanuel Sanders, Deebo Samuel and Matt Breida all missed practice. Three of the four were back Thursday though, providing some semblance of optimism about their returns.

Kittle is working through knee and ankle injuries he sustained in Week 9, and was back Thursday after not practicing the last two weeks. Sanders hurt his ribs in Week 10, and didn’t practice leading up to last week’s game, and played most of the game despite a painful injury. Samuel hurt his shoulder in the third quarter against the Cardinals, but returned to the game. That alone was a good sign for his availability Sunday night.

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Here’s what Thursday’s full practice report looked like:

Did not participate

RB Matt Breida (ankle)
OT Joe Staley (finger)
DE Dee Ford (quad, hamstring)
K Robbie Gould (quad)

Limited participation

TE George Kittle (knee, ankle
WR Deebo Samuel (shoulder)
WR Emmanuel Sanders (ribs)

Full participation

LB Azeez Al-Shaair (concussion)
DT D.J. Jones (groin)
RB Raheem Mostert (knee)

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49ers TE George Kittle takes ‘great step’ towards playing vs. Packers

49ers TE George Kittle is looking more likely to play on Sunday night against the Packers.

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One of the best tight ends in the NFL is trending towards playing on Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers.

Pro Bowler George Kittle, who has missed the San Francisco 49ers’ last two games with knee and ankle injuries, returned to practice on Thursday and sounded optimistic about returning to face the Packers.

“It went really well,” Kittle told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. “It was definitely a great step in the right direction. It was really fun being back out there with all the guys. I definitely don’t miss sitting in the training room all day. My goal definitely is still Green Bay.”

The 49ers listed Kittle as a limited participant on Thursday.

Kittle has 46 catches for 561 yards and two touchdowns in 2019. He set the NFL’s single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end in 2018 when he caught 88 passes for 1,377 yards and five touchdowns.

The Packers are well aware of Kittle’s dual-threat ability as a blocker and receiver. He’s also a dangerous runner after the catch.

Mike Pettine’s defense has been vulnerable in the middle of the field this season, creating the possibility for Kittle to be a game-changing factor in the showdown between the NFC’s top two seeds.

After 11 weeks, Kittle remains the highest-graded tight end at Pro Football Focus, and by a significant margin.

There’s potentially more bad news for the Packers defense: The 49ers may have receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel available on Sunday night. Like Kittle, both players practiced on Thursday.

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Good injury news: George Kittle returns to practice

There’s a reason to be optimistic about George Kittle’s status for Sunday night vs. the Packers.

The 49ers on Thursday finally got some good news on the injury front. Tight end George Kittle was back on the practice field wearing a blue non-contact jersey according to multiple reporters at the 49ers’ facility.

Kittle hasn’t practiced since injuring his knee and ankle on the first play of the team’s Week 9 win over the Cardinals in Arizona. He played the rest of that game and posted six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown.

San Francisco lost their first game without Kittle the following week against the Seahawks. Their run game and passing attack both suffered without Kittle’s multifaceted skill set. They struggled out of the gates the following week against Arizona, and failed to run the ball with any effectiveness. While Jimmy Garoppolo wound up throwing for 424 yards and four touchdowns in a 36-26 win, Kittle’s presence in the passing game was sorely missed on plays designed to go down the field.

A limited practice Thursday guarantees nothing for the tight end, and head coach Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday said “it’s going to come down to the wire again” with Kittle. However, his return is a good sign, and another practice Friday will give a better indication of his status for Sunday night.

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49ers’ 4 top offensive playmakers among 7 out of practice

The 49ers could face a serious injury problem Sunday night vs. the Packers.

The 49ers’ participation report for Wednesday’s practice was a star-studded list. Seven players missed the session, and two others were limited. Among the players out were running back Matt Breida, wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel, and tight end George Kittle.

Those four account for most of the playmaking on the 49ers’ offense. Breida leads the team in rushing yards and is averaging 5.0 yards per carry this season. Sanders has been Jimmy Garoppolo’s favorite target in his four games with the team, and Samuel has emerged as a top-end receiver in the two games Sanders has dealt with a rib injury. Samuel leads all NFL rookies with 38 catches. Kittle is arguably the best tight end in the league, and provides as much value as a run blocker as he does as a pass catcher. He’s leading the club in receptions and receiving yards.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t rule any of those four out for Sunday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers, but starting the week off with a non-participation in practice isn’t a great early sign.

Here’s the full participation report for Wednesday:

Did not participate

RB Matt Breida (ankle)
TE George Kittle (knee, ankle)
WR Deebo Samuel (shoulder)
WR Emmanuel Sanders (ribs)
T Joe Staley (finger)
DE Dee Ford (quad, hamstring)
K Robbie Gould (quad)

Limited participation

DT DJ Jones (groin)
RB Raheem Mostert (knee)

Full participation

Azeez Al-Shaair (concussion)

Kyle Shanahan: Ross Dwelley is 49ers best football player

Tight end Ross Dwelley received high praise from his head coach after his two-touchdown game and ever-changing role.

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Ross Dwelley has worn a ton of hats for the 49ers this season. Most recently he took on the role of the No. 1 tight end with George Kittle out. He turned his new job into a pair of touchdown catches and a crucial third-down grab to extend the game-winning drive in the 49ers’ 36-26 win over the Cardinals on Sunday.

Prior to that, he served as the fullback while Kyle Juszczyk was hurt, and before that he was primarily a blocking tight end who was playing fewer than half the snaps each game.

His wide-ranging skill set and ever-changing job description earned him high praise from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan during his Monday press conference.

“I mean, we respect the heck out of him, I said he was the best football player on our team yesterday, so I don’t mind messing with his average,” Shanahan told reporters when asked about Dwelley’s 3.5 yards per catch vs. Arizona. “He also had a 14-yarder called back, so that’s where he got messed up, or it was 10 yards, I’m not sure, but it’s better to keep his average down just so we keep him humbled. We don’t want him to get carried away.”

Shanahan was speaking in jest about the second-year tight end, but what Dwelley’s been able to do this season as a former undrafted free agent from the University of San Diego is very impressive. He played a combined 194 snaps the first eight games combined.

With Kittle nursing ankle and knee injuries and out for Weeks 10 and 11, Dwelley saw his snap count increase to 145 in those games. He’s been a different kind of Swiss Army knife for the 49ers’ offense, and having players like him is invaluable in a scheme that thrives on deception.

It’s hard to quantify the ‘best football player’ on the 49ers, but Dwelley’s ability to adapt to different roles on the fly certainly earns him a spot in the conversation.

No tough decisions in 49ers inactives vs. Cardinals

The 49ers have so many injuries that they didn’t have any choices with their list of inactives.

The 49ers coaching staff didn’t have any tough decisions when it came to their seven inactive players Sunday.

Here’s the list officially submitted by the team prior to Sunday’s game:

OT Joe Staley
QB CJ Beathard
TE George Kittle
RB Matt Breida
K Robbie Gould
LB Azeez Al-Shaair
DT DJ Jones

Really the list was all but confirmed late Saturday morning when the 49ers announced Al-Shaair was downgraded to ‘out’ with a concussion. He joined Staley and Jones as the three players officially out. With Beathard a regular inactive as the third quarterback, there were only three inactive spots left.

Those three spots were the only question marks, and they were officially filled Sunday with Kittle, Breida and Gould – the three players the 49ers labeled ‘doubtful’ leading up to the game.

One silver lining is the absence of Ahkello Witherspoon’s name on the inactive list for the first time since Week 5. He sprained his foot in the Week 3 win over the Steelers and hasn’t played since. Witherspoon was supposed to be back Monday vs. Seattle, but had a setback and was forced to delay his return date.

49ers vs. Cardinals ultimate Week 12 preview

The Arizona Cardinals will look to even the score against the 8-1 49ers as the team travels to Santa Clara this Sunday.

Halloween night was heart-breaking for many Arizona Cardinals fans. Quarterback Kyler Murray and company very nearly pulled off an epic comeback against one of the top teams in the NFL on prime-time television. It certainly would have been great for the Cardinals, though Sunday presents a chance at redemption.

The San Francisco 49ers are down many starters due to injury, while the Cardinals are coming in relatively healthy. LT Joe Staley and DT D.J. Jones have been ruled out, with many others questionable.

The biggest storyline is tight end George Kittle, who is officially listed as doubtful (even though head coach Kyle Shanahan told Arizona media he wouldn’t play earlier in the week). Another big injury is WR Emmanuel Sanders, who is in a ton of pain due to a rib injury sustained in Monday Night Football’s loss to the Seahawks. He is officially questionable.

Some other names for the 49ers on the injury front is RB Matt Breida (doubtful) and K Robbie Gould (doubtful).

The Cardinals must capitalize on San Francisco’s injury-plagued roster. They owe them one for the loss on Thursday Night Football.

Read on for our game preview:

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49ers final injury report: RB Matt Breida, TE George Kittle doubtful; WR Emmanuel Sanders questionable

In all, two players were ruled out, three are doubtful and another five are questionable.

The San Francisco 49ers enter Week 11 banged up. They will face the Arizona Cardinals likely playing without several starters. In all, two players have been ruled out, three others are doubtful and five are questionable.

Out

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

Staley had surgery on his finger and is expected to miss a couple of weeks. Jones was ruled out early in the week by coach Kyle Shanahan.

Doubtful

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

None of the three practiced all week. With Breida unlikely to play, it means a bigger role for Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman. Kittle missed last week’s game. Chase McLaughlin, who missed a potential game-winning field goal against the Seahawks on Monday night, will fill in for Gould.

Questionable

LB Azeez Al-Shaair (concussion)
RB Raheem Mostert (knee)
WR Emmanuel Sanders (ribs)
WR Dante Pettis (back)

Sanders was unable to practice all week. He is going to be a Sunday decision but it will be about how much pain he can tolerate. Pettis was limited for two days of practice. Al-Shaair was limited for two days after missing Wednesday. Mostert was limited all week.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

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NFL Best Bets: Three underdog locks for Week 11

Our weekly NFL underdog betting staple continues into Week 11, where Ken Pomponio features three teams likely to upset their underdog odds

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NFL Week 10 was wild, a memorable week and a surprise-filled week which featured nine of 13 underdogs covering the mid-week lines.

We weren’t on either of the big underdogs (Atlanta Falcons +11.5 in New Orleans, Miami Dolphins +9.5 in Indianapolis) who not only covered but also won outright, but we did go 3-0 to snap a run of three straight 1-2 weekly finishes and up our season record to 18-12.

Now it’s back to board to find more underdog value, utilizing, as usual, Wednesday’s posted point spreads from BetMGM.com.

Get some action on the games by betting at BetMGM. New customer offer: RISK-FREE First Bet (up to $500!) paid in free bets.

Dolphins (+6) vs. Buffalo Bills

Nov 10, 2019: Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. *Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports*

Don’t look now, but the Dolphins’ tanking mission is suddenly headed the wrong direction.

Behind the fearless play of veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and an energized, no-name defense, Miami is 2-0 in November and has covered in five straight outings after a brutal 0-4 against-the-spread start in which the Dolphins were outscored 163-26.

The Bills, meanwhile, have gone 2-2 after a 4-1 start, including a tighter-than-it-looks 31-21 home win over the Dolphins in Week 7.

Keep riding with Fitzpatrick and Co. here as the oddsmakers have been slow to adjust to the new-and-improved Dolphins. They’re playing hard for a first-year coach in Brian Flores, who clearly doesn’t include “tanking” among his best career interests.

Philadelphia Eagles (+3½) vs. New England Patriots

Feb 4, 2018: Eagles coach Doug Pederson (left) and Patriots coach Bill Belichick reunite Sunday. *Matthew Emmons – USA TODAY Sports*

It hasn’t proven to be wise wagering against Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and Co., who are 10-3 in their last 13 games ATS dating back to Week 17 of last season — and coming off the bye in this one.

But the host Eagles are coming off their bye, as well, and they are 4-2 after starting off 1-2.

Philly is sure to be fired up for the teams’ first meeting since Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, and while the Pats are sure to be focused coming off their first loss followed by the bye, we’ll take a solid team getting a field goal and the always-tempting half-point hook at home.

Arizona Cardinals (+11½) at San Francisco 49ers

Oct 31, 2019: Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray faces the 49ers again. *Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports*

If it seems like we just saw this NFC West matchup, it’s because we did, two weeks ago in the desert as the visiting Niners prevailed in a much-tougher-than-expected 28-25 contest on Halloween.

In between, San Fran suffered its first loss, falling to the visiting Seattle Seahawks 27-24 in an overtime duel Monday night that arguably has been the best NFL game this season.

The 49ers also continue to battle the health bug with tight end George Kittle and receiver Emmanuel Sanders likely to be game-time decisions. And quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is battling some obvious shakiness after completing only 24 of 46 passes Monday for 248 yards, a touchdown and an interception, along with two lost fumbles.

Rookie QB Kyle Murray and the Cards, meanwhile, are 3-6-1 straight up but have been one of the league’s best ATS squads at 7-3, including five covers in their last six outings.

We were on Arizona last week in Tampa, and we’ll go with the Cards again here Sunday afternoon in San Fran where the home team is simply giving too many points.

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