The biggest battle the San Francisco 49ers are fighting as they head into Week 7 are injuries, especially on the defensive side of the ball. The team took to the field on Sunday without seven of its defensive starters on hand and then had cornerback Charvarius Ward ruled out in the third quarter with a groin injury.
In addition to Ward, offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey was also ruled out midway through the team's Week 6 game with a calf injury. On Monday, head coach Kyle Shanahan shared an update on the status and handful of other players that sustained injuries when playing against the Atlanta Falcons.
Ward and McGlinchey are day-to-day with their respective injuries while safety Talanoa Hufanga has entered the NFL's concussion protocol as of Monday morning. Tight end Charlie Woerner (AC sprain), defensive lineman Drake Jackson (knee sprain) and defensive lineman Samson Ebukam (Achilles tendinitis) are all also day-to-day. Linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles is dealing with knee tendinitis and should be good to go for Wednesday's practice.
Per the head coach, players will have Monday and Tuesday off to reacclimate to the West Coast time change after their 10-day road trip.
"Usually, I have the guys all in today (Monday), but I gave it off to them just because we've been away so long," Shanahan said. "I want them to stay home, get their schedule right, mentally be ready to come in on Wednesday, be with their families a little bit. I know they're going to do their stuff on their own on Tuesday with all their regen things, but hopefully we give them enough rest and they come in Wednesday ready to attack and get this gameplan ready for Kansas City."
On a positive note, it's possible the 49ers will welcome back captains Nick Bosa and Trent Williams in time for their game against the Chiefs.
"A lot better than last week," Shanahan said when giving an outlook on the player's returns. "I'm really hoping for it and I think there's a decent chance."
San Francisco has been without their All-Pro left tackle since the second half of their matchup against the Denver Broncos in Week 3. Williams has been working through a high ankle sprain and is trending in the right direction healthwise. Bosa was a limited participant in the team's final practice in West Virginia after sustaining a groin strain in Week 5. The return of Bosa and Williams would bring back stability to the offensive and defensive lines that have been shuffling around players due to injuries over the past several weeks.
