The 49ers won't face Todd Gurley on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Rams officially ruled the star running back out for their Week 6 clash with San Francisco at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Gurley injured his thigh in Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks, and he did not practice all week.
Gurley, a first-team All-Pro selection in 2017 and 2018, has eclipsed four yards per carry in five games this season. He has scored five total touchdowns, but his 4.3 yards per touch in 2019 are the second-fewest of his career. Still, the 49ers surely will be glad they don't have to stop the NFL's leading rusher since he entered the league in 2015.
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That's not to say the 49ers are doing much better in terms of injuries. San Francisco, 4-0 for the first time in three decades, will be without starting fullback Kyle Juszczyk (left knee sprain), starting tackles Joe Staley (fibula) and Mike McGlinchey (knee) and starting cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (foot).
The Rams can keep pace with the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks atop the NFC West with a win, while the 49ers can credibly claim legitimacy as a contender with a win over the reigning NFC champions. Both teams are going to lack plenty of star power, though, and Gurley's absence is the most prominent example.