Ben

Bartch

The 49ers also ruled out EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) and C Jake Brendel (hamstring), while labeling DT Jordan Elliott (ankle/personal matter), LB Dee Winters (knee), DL Sam Okuayinonu (ankle), OG Ben Bartch (ankle) and OL Spencer Burford (knee) questionable for Week 9. The 49ers’ defense is officially one to target for fantasy purposes and their poor health should also reinforce the offense’s passing volume.

The 49ers correspondingly placed OG Ben Bartch on injured reserve with an ankle injury and promoted TE Brayden Willis from the practice squad. Parker was a liability as a run blocker and pass protector but the former 2018 third-round pick is at least an experienced veteran.

Bartch suffered a high-ankle sprain and was replaced by Connor Colby, a seventh-round pick from Iowa who played fairly well in his debut. It sounds like Bartch will be headed to injured reserve.

Bartch was deemed “questionable” before the break but never returned. A fill-in for an already banged up offense line, Bartch’s loss further thins San Francisco’s shaky depth.

Puni suffered a PCL sprain in San Francisco’s second preseason game. The 49ers signed G Michael Dunn on Wednesday, so it’s clear that they’re at least making sure they can get through their third preseason game with some healthy guards as Ben Bartch (elbow) also is currently shelved. If Puni does miss time, Shanahan mentioned Spencer Burford as a potential fill-in at guard.

Per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner, Bartch “jumped right into team periods at left guard with the first unit.” He will compete with OL Nick Zakelj for the role, though Wagoner believes the team hopes Bartch secures the job quickly.

The word from the 49ers brass was that Bartch would be healthy “relatively soon.” Bartch’s listing means he can come off the NFI list at any point in training camp. He reportedly hurt the quad in an offseason workout. Bartch is in line to compete for the 49ers starting left guard job.

49ers beat writer Matt Barrows projects Bartch to be part of a competition at left guard as he expects San Francisco to let Aaron Banks walk in free agency. Bartch had a career-best 74.8 PFF grade in 65 snaps blocking this season. Entering his age-27 season, there’s a possibility he can be a low-cost patch for the 49ers on the offensive line.

It’s a high-ankle sprain. It’s possible that Bartch would make it back for the playoffs if the 49ers can overcome the odds to get there, but with Aaron Banks back he probably wouldn’t make the starting lineup if he did. Bartch had a career-best 74.8 PFF grade in 65 snaps blocking this season and will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason entering his age-27 season. It’s possible he’s done enough to earn a stopgap starter spot somewhere, depending on how offensive line situations shake out for the Shanaclan this offseason.

Bartch started in place of LG Aaron Banks, who is currently sidelined by a concussion. Bartch remained down after a play and was eventually escorted to the blue medical tent. Backup OL Spencer Burford replaced Bartch at LG.