LAST October 19, 3:45 p.m.
Evans was not among the seven Niners inactive for the game against the Washington Commanders, and he is expected to play through a fractured rib injury for the third straight week.
October 19, 1:15 p.m. The 49ers have not indicated whether Mike Evans will play Monday night, but they have decided that Christian Kirk will not play.
The 49ers had until 1 p.m. to decide whether they wanted to activate Kirk off injured reserve and onto the 53-man roster. But San Francisco made just two roster changes Monday, elevating receiver Malik Turner and linebacker Jalen Graham from the practice squad. This means that Kirk cannot play against Commanders.
Kirk was placed on injured reserve after training camp due to a calf injury that had been bothering him for weeks. Kirk finally returned to practice Thursday and participated on a limited basis all week, but didn’t do enough to convince Niners brass that he was ready to make his debut in red and gold.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter said the 49ers are “optimistic” that Evans can play Monday even though he hasn’t practiced all week. If he is able to go, that will give the 49ers five wide receivers on the active roster.
October 19, 11:55 a.m. The San Francisco 49ers have just three healthy wide receivers on the active roster heading into Monday night’s game against the Washington Commanders, leaving many 49ers fans to refresh over and over again on the status of two key receivers: Mike Evans and Christian Kirk.
After a legendary performance against the Seahawks, Evans did not practice all week due to rib and Achilles injuries. But he is listed as questionable to play for the 49ers, and during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Monday morning, ESPN insider Adam Schefter said the 49ers are “optimistic” about Evans being able to play Monday night, something he has done all season long.
Kirk, meanwhile, was nursing a calf injury that landed him on injured reserve before the start of the season. But the veteran, who signed with San Francisco this offseason, returned to practice in limited capacity all week. He is listed as questionable for Monday’s game but remains on injured reserve. The 49ers will have to announce whether he is activated for the game Monday at 1 p.m.
The 49ers have seen virtually their entire wide receiver room suffer an injury this season, not to mention one that occurred before the season: Ricky Pearsall suffered a season-ending knee injury during training camp. Rookie De’Zhaun Stribling is out for at least a month with an ankle injury, Demarcus Robinson is still out with a high ankle sprain and Deebo Samuel is expected to miss several weeks with a hamstring injury. The 49ers even signed former second-round pick Dante Pettis to the practice squad, only to see Pettis suffer a calf injury in his first week of practice and be unable to play. (Pettis was waived with an injury settlement.)
Evans has been banged up almost every week since training camp began, missing time with a quad strain, a foot injury and a groin strain. During the season, Evans suffered a hip injury in Week 2, then fractured two ribs in Week 3. He continued to play through the pain and shined in the rivalry game with the Seahawks last week, although he reported some type of Achilles injury this week in addition to the ribs.
Outside of the veteran duo, the 49ers only have the aforementioned trio of healthy wide receivers on the active roster: Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing and veteran Brandin Cooks, who already caught a key touchdown last week after San Francisco signed him midway through the season.
Gn sports
