Bosa and McCaffrey Set to Return for 49ers Against Raiders

Starters Return for San Francisco

The San Francisco 49ers get a boost on Sunday as defensive end Nick Bosa and running back Christian McCaffrey return to face the Las Vegas Raiders. Neither player has an injury designation for the game.

Bosa missed action since before the Week 3 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals due to a calf injury. He practiced all three days this week after resting during the bye. Bosa noted that the extra week of rest helped him get ready to play. "I feel great," Bosa said. "Bye week was a good extra week for me and I'm ready to go."

McCaffrey dealt with a minor hamstring strain suffered in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons. He sat out practice on Wednesday but returned on Thursday and Friday. McCaffrey also credited the Week 8 bye for helping his recovery. "It wasn't too bad," McCaffrey said. "I think having the bye week was awesome, but I feel great."

Receiver Roster Struggles with Injuries

While Bosa and McCaffrey are ready, the receiving corps faces several absences. Mike Evans will miss his second straight game with Achilles tendinitis. The issue flared up in Week 6 against the Washington Commanders, keeping him out against Atlanta before the bye week.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Evans made a lot of progress, but the team wants to avoid rushing him back. General manager John Lynch explained on KNBR radio that the club wants to prevent a long term issue. "Christian had this situation and every player is different, every situation is different but you don't want it to become something that really lingers," Lynch said. "So, we're trying to knock it out such that when he comes back, we give him the best chance to stay back."

San Francisco also ruled out Deebo Samuel Sr. with a hamstring injury and Christian Kirk with a knee injury. Kirk hurt his meniscus during Wednesday's practice, and Shanahan mentioned it is unclear if he needs surgery. To help depth, the team will likely activate Demarcus Robinson from injured reserve. That leaves Robinson, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing, Brandin Cooks, and likely practice squad addition KhaDarel Hodge as available receivers.

Robinson is listed as questionable alongside cornerback Nate Hobbs, safety Siran Neal, and cornerback Upton Stout. Shanahan noted that activating Hobbs from injured reserve remains up in the air.

What it means for the next game

Las Vegas Raiders at San Francisco 49ers (NFL, Sun, 08 Nov): San Francisco 49ers win 79%, Las Vegas Raiders win 21%; projected score San Francisco 49ers 30, Las Vegas Raiders 21. Our safest pick: 49ers to win.

San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys (NFL, Sun, 15 Nov): Dallas Cowboys win 36%, San Francisco 49ers win 64%; projected score Dallas Cowboys 25, San Francisco 49ers 29. Our safest pick: Over 46.5 points.