Nick Mullens will make his second-consecutive start for the 49ers with Jimmy Garoppolo officially ruled OUT ahead of Sunday's game. Garoppolo is set to miss his second game after suffering an ankle injury during Week 2's win over the New York Jets.
"We've got to be smart with the guys," Kyle Shanahan said. "If Jimmy could have played this week, he would have been out there."
Mullens now has two new weapons with Deebo Samuel and George Kittle receiving the green light ahead of Week 4. Kittle makes his return from a knee injury suffered in the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals and Samuel returns from a foot injury that has sidelined the receiver since June. Although Samuel will make his season debut, the 49ers will be cognizant of his workload on Sunday.
"Deebo was our starting receiver last year. He earned that early in the year and we kept it that way most of the year," Shanahan said. "I don't expect him to be like that on Sunday. It is his first time back. We've got to be smart with that. You see a lot of these injuries around the league and stuff, and that's kind of what happens when you don't go to the totally normal process of an offseason that we did. When you have a guy who's missed a ton with his injury, that makes it even stronger. So, we've got to be smart with him. I know he'll be out there, but it won't be as his normal, that's for sure."
In addition to Garoppolo, Raheem Mostert (knee), Jordan Reed (knee), Dee Ford (back), Emmanuel Moseley (concussion), Dre Greenlaw (quad) and Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) have all been ruled OUT.
K'Waun Williams was ruled as questionable while nursing a hip injury suffered in the Week 3 win over the New York Giants. The 49ers are already thin at the cornerback position. Jason Verrett is primed to make his second-consecutive start along with Dontae Johnson, who replaced Moseley in Week 3.
As for the Eagles, the team is also dealing with their own struggles at cornerback. CB Avonte Maddox (ankle) and CB Trevor Williams (rib) have both been ruled OUT. The team also announced on Friday that wideouts DeSean Jackson (hamstring) and Alshon Jeffery (foot) have been ruled OUT for Sunday and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (calf) is doubtful heading into Sunday. Greg Ward Jr., Deontay Burnett and John Hightower headline Philadelphia's available receivers in Week 4, who have a combined eight career starts and amassed a combined 589 receiving yards over their respective careers.
