Nick WagonerESPN Staff Writer2 Minute Read
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers will welcome back one of their top three wide receivers against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but they could be without the other two.
After missing last week’s game against the New York Giants with a left shoulder injury, Niners wideout Brandon Aiyuk made it through the week of practice without a setback and has been cleared to return against the Cardinals.
“He had a real good week,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He’s good to go. Off the injury report. We’re excited to have him back.”
Fellow wideouts Deebo Samuel (ribs, knee) and Jauan Jennings (shin) are listed as questionable and doubtful, respectively, after missing most of the practice week.
Samuel did not practice Wednesday or Thursday but was a limited participant in the lighter Friday session. Shanahan said the knee is the primary issue for Samuel.
“I think his rib feels good,” Shanahan said. “That’s not a problem for him. He was able to go some today for the first time, so that gives him a chance for Sunday.”
After practice, Samuel said he injured his knee on a screen pass early in the second quarter against the Giants but didn’t feel the effects until last Friday because of adrenaline. Samuel did some running at full speed on a side field Friday, offering some hope he will be able to play against the Cardinals.
“I feel pretty good,” Samuel said. “We’ll just see how I continue to progress for the next couple of days, and then we’ll just see what happens.”
Jennings, meanwhile, did not practice at all this week.
With Jennings likely out and Samuel’s status up in the air, the Niners will turn to Ray-Ray McCloud and rookie Ronnie Bell to handle the bulk of the leftover snaps alongside Aiyuk. The team will also elevate at least one more wideout from the practice squad for depth. Shanahan said veterans Chris Conley and Willie Snead IV are the primary options for elevation.
Elsewhere on the injury front, linebackers Dre Greenlaw (ankle) and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (ankle) and running back Elijah Mitchell (knee) are listed as questionable. Mitchell was an addition to the injury report Friday after Shanahan said he got tripped up in practice Thursday and banged his knee.
