The 49ers are playing it very safe in their second preseason contest vs. the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday evening. With another game in Houston just five days away, San Francisco has elected to rest virtually all of their presumed starters.
Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle posted a list of the players not playing for the 49ers. Here it is:
QB Trey Lance
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
RB Elijah Mitchell (Hamstring)
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
FB Kyle Juszczyk
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR Deebo Samuel
TE George Kittle
TE Charlie Woerner
OL Daniel Brunskill (Hamstring)
OL Jake Brendel
OL Mike McGlinchey
OL Trent Williams
OL Jaylon Moore (Lower leg)
OL Colton McKivitz
DL Samson Ebukam
DL Nick Bosa
DL Arik Armstead
LB Azeez Al-Shaair
LB Fred Warner
LB Dre Greenlaw
LB Curtis Robinson (Groin)
CB Emmanuel Moseley
CB Charvarius Ward (Hamstring)
FS Jimmie Ward (Hamstring)
CB Dontae Johnson (Ribs)
SS Talanoa Hufanga
Offensive linemen Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford, the presumed starts at right and left guard, respectively, will both suit up. They’ve both hand some struggles in training camp and could use the reps since neither have played in a regular season NFL game.
Another interesting note on the offensive line is that Jake Brendel isn’t playing. With Brunskill nursing a hamstring injury, Brendel is now the likely starter at center. The 49ers don’t have a reliable third option so keeping him out of harm’s way in the second preseason contest makes sense.
The other presumed starter suiting up is nickel cornerback Samuel Womack. Head coach Kyle Shanahan intimated there was still a competition going on there, but Womack, a rookie fifth-round pick, is the frontrunner. Another strong game from him could seal the deal at the all-important slot CB spot.
