It’s been a disappointing campaign so far for the San Francisco 49ers, which reached the Super Bowl last season but are now just 5-5 and sit several spots outside the NFC playoff picture.
It may get worse before it gets better for coach Kyle Shanahan’s team ahead of a crucial Week 12 matchup against the Green Bay Packers as quarterback Brock Purdy, who is dealing with a right shoulder injury and was listed as limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday.
Purdy reportedly didn’t practice on Friday, and that evening, he was officially ruled out for Sunday’s game against Green Bay. Brandon Allen will start in his place, getting the nod over fellow journeyman Josh Dobbs.
It’s a tough break for the 49ers, which have a 43% chance to make the postseason with a win on Sunday but just a 14% chance with a loss, according to NFL.com. It’s also a potentially tough break for fantasy owners who are relying on Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings on Sunday.
Samuel has had similar production this season to last, turning in four-plus catch games in his last three outings, going for 60 or more yards in two of them. However, he hasn’t found the end zone since Oct. 10.
Jennings, meanwhile, has shouldered a much bigger load in recent weeks with the injury to Brandon Aiyuk, and in his last two games, he has 17 catches for 184 yards and a touchdown. However, with Allen starting, both seem to be prime options to sit this week due to the uncertainty.
Allen, a former sixth-round pick out of Arkansas in 2016, has made nine starts during his nine NFL seasons, but he has just a 2-7 record in those games. In his career, he’s completed 149 of 263 passes for 1,611 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Despite the disappointing results, San Francisco has managed to have the No. 2 offense in the NFL this season, including a top-five passing offense averaging more than 250 yards per game. However, without Purdy, it’s hard to put a ton of faith in San Francisco’s talented group of pass-catchers.