SANTA CLARA — Both the 49ers and Broncos head into Sunday's matchup with significant absences on their active rosters.
Running back Jeff Wilson gets the first start of his NFL career after Matt Breida was ruled out earlier in the week. Breida has been dealing with a nagging ankle injury for weeks and aggravated it in Seattle.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin returns to the lineup and the 49ers have the ability to field five wide receivers for the first time in several weeks. Expect to see Kendrick Bourne in the lineup a bit more taking the place of Pierre Garçon who was ruled out because of a knee injury.
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Marcel Harris, Antone Exum Jr., will be at the safety positions with Jaquiski Tartt out for the day. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh has high expectations for Harris’ second game where he says he usually sees the biggest jump in the learning curve.
Defensive lineman Sheldon Day is also inactive, which means the coaching staff will be taking a closer look at second-year lineman D.J. Jones on the inside as well as Solomon Thomas. K’Waun William is a healthy scratch which means rookie D.J. Reed, now healthy after a heel injury, will play Sunday.
Joshua Garnett has a cast on his left hand to protect his thumb but is active. He will see the field, likely as part of a rotation, as the coaching staff evaluates who will be a part of the team going forward.
The Broncos lost their top wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders earlier in the week to a torn Achilles. Sanders caught a team-high 71 passes for 868 yards and four touchdowns.
San Francisco 49ers
The Broncos will also be without Chris Harris who remains on the roster in hopes that his fractured leg will heal by the end of the season, or if needed the post season. Five of the remaining six inactive players for the Broncos are on the defensive side of the ball.
49ers inactives
WR Pierre Garcon
RB Matt Breida
S Jaquiski Tartt
OL Shon Coleman
OL Erik Magnuson
DB K’waun Williams
DL Sheldon Day
Broncos inactives
LB Shaquil Barrett
CB Tramaine Brock
CB Chris Harris Jr.
LB Jeff Holland
LB Brandon Marshall
DE Demarcus Walker
OL Nico Faleh