The 49ers will head into their Week 10 game with the Chargers the healthiest they have been in a long time, but San Francisco still has issues on the defensive line.
Wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and Jimmie Ward are all off the injury report, while Dre Greenlaw is clear to play having previously been limited in practice with a calf issue.
Running back Elijah Mitchell, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, backup tackle Colton McKivitz, and defensive end Jordan Willis are all set to be activated from injured reserve.
While the 49ers are strengthened in several areas with injury returnees, they will once again be without their most important player on the interior of the defensive line, as Arik Armstead remains sidelined with a foot injury having missed practice all week.
Armstead has been ruled out, along with cornerback Jason Verrett, who tore his Achilles in practice this week and will be placed on injured reserve.
On top of Armstead’s absence, defensive end Samson Ebukam is listed as doubtful because of a quad injury he sustained in practice on Monday.
Ebukam’s injury may mean rookie defensive end Drake Jackson, who had been used frequently as an interior defender to accommodate for Armstead’s stay on the sideline, starts across from star pass rusher Nick Bosa.
The versatile Charles Omenihu will almost certainly see snaps at defensive tackle, with Kevin Givens and Hassan Ridgeway among those who will be asked to hold the fort on the inside.
Willis’ potential availability is intriguing in regard to the lack of depth on the inside, as his return could facilitate Jackson at least spending some time at defensive tackle and give the Niners increased options to help overcome Armstead’s absence in a matchup in the trenches they will be expected to dictate.
