The 49ers don’t have anything to play for in their season finale. They’ve locked up the No. 1 seed, and the Rams have already clinched a playoff spot so there’s not really a spoiler angle they can lean on.
With their seeding locked in, it would make sense for San Francisco to give some of their starters an extra week of rest to close the year. Even with the first-round playoff bye, an additional week off could pay dividends for some of the team’s starters who have been banged up this year.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already announced that running back Christian McCaffrey is out with a calf strain. Defensive tackle Arik Armstead will also remain out with knee and foot injuries. It wouldn’t be a surprise if a handful of other players dealing with injuries like safety Ji’Ayir Brown and tight end Ross Dwelley aren’t pushed into action in Week 18.
There are a handful of other players who could get the week off in the season finale, or at least see substantially reduced roles. If the 49ers treat their home bout with the Rams as a preseason game, here are some players who could (or should) miss the game:
LT Trent Williams
Williams is dealing with a groin injury that he suffered in Week 16 against the Ravens. He played in Week 17, but extra time off for him to heal after he also dealt with an ankle injury during the year would be smart to ensure the 49ers’ best offensive lineman is healthy for the postseason.
QB Brock Purdy
If Williams isn’t lining up at left tackle, it would behoove the 49ers to make sure Purdy isn’t under center behind a less-than-perfect version of its offensive front. Maybe Williams plays a few series and Purdy follows suit, but sitting them both down makes a ton of sense.
WR Deebo Samuel
Samuel has publicly said he and the 49ers’ starters are playing. That may be the mantra during the week, but it would not be a surprised if the team changed course in the lead up to the game. Samuel dealt with a shoulder injury this year that knocked him out of three games. There may not be a more valuable player for the 49ers on offense come playoff time given his ability to set a tone for them. If he does wind up starting, he should see a very limited role.
TE George Kittle
Kittle’s rough-and-tumble playing style makes it hard to believe he’s not at least a little banged up at this point. Getting him a couple weeks off may ensure he’s at or near fully healthy by the time the team’s playoff opener rolls around.
DL Javon Hargrave
Hargrave hurt his hamstring in Week 14 and had to miss the 49ers’ Week 15 win over the Cardinals. He’s played the last two games, but there’s no sense in trying to push a soft tissue injury further than they have. He’s essential to their defensive front and rest may be best for him, especially since he’s coming off a deep playoff run last year with Philadelphia.
CB Charvarius Ward
Ward has been outstanding for the 49ers this season. If they want to give a couple of their younger cornerbacks some run, they could opt to just let Ward take the week off to ensure his body is healthy for a postseason run where he’ll be matched up against some excellent receivers on a weekly basis.
DE Nick Bosa
Bosa has been healthy for virtually all of this season which is a great sign for him. There’s no real need to push him with a heavy snap load (or any snap load) vs. the Rams. He may get a little run just to stay sharp, but it might behoove the team to just let him have the week off to ensure he’s right for the playoffs.
LB Dre Greenlaw
Greenlaw has dealt with a slew of injuries over the last three seasons. The second level of the 49ers’ defense is a key piece of their success on that side of the ball, and having a healthy Greenlaw (and Fred Warner for that matter) will be paramount for a San Francisco defense that’s had some ups and downs, particularly in stopping the run.
