Despite practicing with the 49ers this week, wide receiver Deebo Samuel will be unavailable for Sunday’s contest against the Las Vegas Raiders. Coach Kyle Shanahan announced the news Friday afternoon, but added that he’d like to see Samuel return in Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals.
“We’ll see how practice goes (next week)” Shanahan said. “He’s gotta do more practice than he did this week. He’s definitely got a chance to.”
Samuel has been out since Week 14, when he got crunched by two defenders and had to be carted off the field with knee and ankle injuries. Deebo was spotted by reporters doing light work during Friday’s easy practice. He looked like he was moving around well in Thursday’s full-speed session, as he ran routes with a sleeve on his left leg. NBC Sports Bay Area shared video of Samuel working out Thursday:
Deebo might not be the only other playmaker on offense who could return in Week 18. Shanahan said running back Elijah Mitchell (MCL sprain) was expected to have his practice window from injured reserve opened up Thursday or Friday but has been sick the past couple days.
“We’ve got a bug going around,” Shanahan said. “But he was good enough to start practicing today. We’ll definitely start that next week.”
The risk of further injury is certainly worth noting -- especially this season when there have been so many high-profile losses -- but Shanahan has openly said he’d like to get the No. 2 seed. Expect Samuel and Mitchell to play against the Cardinals if able.
The top four teams in the NFC are bunched tightly together.
The top-seeded Eagles (13-2) need one more victory or one more Dallas Cowboys (12-4) loss in the final two weeks to stave off a last-second coup in the NFC East. Thursday night’s 27-13 Cowboys victory over the Tennessee Titans also means the 49ers (11-4) need a win to keep up with Dallas. The Minnesota Vikings (12-3) are playing at Green Bay and will try to avoid their fourth loss of the season and hold on to the No. 2 seed.
There are a couple more Niners injuries to keep an eye on.
49ers defensive lineman Kerry Hyder (ankle) and cornerback Ambry Thomas (ankle, illness) are questionable to play Sunday, while Brock Purdy wasn’t even listed on this week’s injury report after fighting through a rib/oblique issue the past two weeks.
