The Texans ruled out two of their top wide receivers.
Nico Collins (concussion) and Christian Kirk (hamstring) will not play. Neither player practiced this week.
Kirk has played only three games this season.
Collins was injured in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s loss to the Seahawks.
The Texans also ruled out cornerback Alijah Huzzie (knee).
Defensive end Denico Autry (knee) and cornerback Jaylin Smith (hamstring) are questionable.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been ruled out again this week.
Purdy was a limited participant in practice this week, but the 49ers ruled him out with a toe injury for the fourth straight game. Purdy missed two other games earlier in the year and Mac Jones has helped the Niners to a 4-1 record in his five starts.
The Niners will also be without wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee), defensive end Bryce Huff (hamstring), defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos (knee, hamstring), and center Jake Brendel (hamstring).
Offensive lineman Spencer Burford (knee), linebacker Luke Gifford (hamstring), and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (quad) are listed as questionable to play against the Texans on Sunday.
49ers starting quarterback Brock Purdy remained a limited participant in Thursday’s practice. He was limited all of last week and ruled out against the Falcons.
Purdy, who has turf toe, has not had a full practice since Sept. 26.
He initially injured his toe in Week 1 and missed two weeks before returning for Week 4. He missed every practice in Weeks 5-6.
Mac Jones, who is 4-1 as a starter in place of Purdy, remained a full participant a second consecutive day with knee and oblique injuries.
The 49ers made only three changes to their injury report from Wednesday, with linebacker Luke Gifford (hamstring) downgraded to a non-participant, cornerback Renardo Green (toe) and cornerback Upton Stout (ankle) upgraded to full participants.
The 49ers again did not have center Jake Brendel (hamstring), defensive end Yetus Gross-Matos (knee/hamstring), defensive end Bryce Huff (hamstring), cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (quad) or wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee).
Pearsall has not played since Week 4.
Offensive tackle Spencer Burford (knee) remained limited. He had his 21-day practice window opened on Wednesday.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is back at practice and was a limited participant on Wednesday, but it’s still unclear when he’ll be able to play.
In an interview with KNBR on Thursday morning, General Manager John Lynch said Purdy is getting closer to a return. But he didn’t put a firm table on it.
“What I can tell everyone is that we’re being [incredibly diligent],” Lynch said, via David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “We’ve gotten so many opinions on this thing, and it’s been pretty consistent. He’s doing a really good job. We’re taking the appropriate measures, and what I can tell you is he gets better each week, each day. I do think we’re getting closer to him returning.”
Lynch added that it’s difficult to set a “hard timeline” because much of Purdy’s recovery depends on how he feels.
“And how he feels, that’s still out there, and TBD, but we’re getting closer, we do know that,” Lynch said. “I think this week, in particular, last week, I think we made some progress. And so, that has Brock encouraged. It has everyone encouraged.”
Lynch noted that the team is going to trust Purdy and the doctors to make the best decision about his playing time.
“Namely, it’s like, ‘Hey, do you feel like yourself?’” Lynch said. “There’s doctors, and sometimes doctors have to hold the player back. And so, there’s those benchmarks and things, the type of testing that you can get past that. But I think the athlete knows their body extremely well.
“And I think Brock knows he plays a certain way, and you can’t change the way you play to make it easier to play, and he’s not going to. He’s only going to play one way, so he’s got to be right to play that way, both from a medical standpoint and all that.”
In two games this season, Purdy has completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 586 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions.
The Texans have missed several of their key skill position players this season.
Running back Joe Mixon has yet to play and might not this season.
Wide receiver Christian Kirk has played in only three games, and he remained out of practice on Wednesday with a hamstring injury.
In addition, wide receiver Nico Collins missed Wednesday’s session with a concussion that he was diagnosed with in the fourth quarter on Monday night.
They were the only two players on the active roster who didn’t practice.
Tight ends Dalton Schultz (back/shoulder) and Brenden Bates (wrist) were limited.
Defensive end Denico Autry (knee), defensive end Derek Barnett (ankle) and cornerback Jaylin Smith (hamstring) also were limited.
