Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers continue to receive good news about three players who finished last season on the injured reserve list. Defensive tackle Demarcus Dobbs will “probably” be all healed up from his partially torn ACL and PCL in time for the start of training camp.

Dobbs joins running back Kendall Hunter and wide receiver Kyle Williams of the players ahead of schedule in recovering from their season-ending injuries in 2012. All three are expected to be ready by the time training camp starts in late July. Dobbs suffered a partial tear of his ACL and PCL in Week 14 against the Miami Dolphins and he did not play the rest of the season. Dobbs’ agent, Wesley Spencer, said he is “well ahead of schedule”, but did not say when he would return to the field.

Though a defensive player, Dobbs only played on 44 snaps last season. His biggest contribution was on special teams for the 49ers. However, with defensive linemen Isaac Sopoaga and Ricky Jean Francois no longer in San Francisco, Dobbs will be expected to step up to provide much needed depth on the D-line. The 49ers signed free agent Glenn Dorsey to fill in for Sopoaga at nose tackle and Ray McDonald is expected to move up the depth chart to take over for Jean Francois as the starter.

No doubt, the Niners will use one of their many draft picks on a defensive lineman. But having Dobbs healthy and back on the field will provide not only depth as a backup, but depth with experience on the field. The only other backup defensive tackles now on the roster are Ian Williams, Will Tukuafu, Lamar Divens and Tony Jerod-Eddie. Divens and Jerod-Eddie were recently promoted from the practice squad to the active roster.

Aside from the team’s surprisingly strong 4-1 record the 49ers have had a few pleasant surprises this season that have been very interesting to watch develop. First is the play of Alex Smith, has anyone beat the odd’s more than this guy in 2011? Alex’s play under pressure and improved decision making has made Jim Harbaugh look like a genius for bringing him back.

Next is the play of Navarro Bowman, I think even Trent Baalke the guy who pulled the trigger on Bowman in the draft and let Takeo Spikes walk away in favor of him still couldn’t think Bowman would be THIS good THIS fast. Please do not get me wrong here, I think Patrick Willis is the best Inside Linebacker in the NFL right now and will be for a long time. With that said Navarro Bowman would make a lot of teams happy as their version of Willis or other feature ILBs like Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher you get the picture. The point is the guy is a STUD. The one element of his game he may actually have on Willis is his pass rush ability, combined with Patrick this could be the best ILB combo in the NFL today.

How about the play of Trent Baalke’s 2011 draft class? While Colin Kaepernick’s career has consisted of some awkward handoff’s and 3 passes thus far the other 49er rookies have shined. First round pick Aldon Smith currently leads the team with 3.5 sacks after breaking out vs. the Eagles with 1.5 sacks only to follow that up with a fantastic 2 sack performance the next week. Fourth Round Pick Kendall Hunter led the NFL in rushing during the preseason and has given the 49ers something they desperately needed the last few seasons, a change up RB to pair with star Frank Gore. Hunter has shown big play ability as a rusher and a receiver and has already came up big in week 3 scoring the go-ahead TD with Gore on the sidelines. Then there’s Chris Culliver, the Cornerback turned Safety in college turned CB in the NFL with the 49ers when they made him their 3rd round pick. Culliver has proved at least in the short term he has what it takes to play CB in the pros after playing significant time in week 4 and again in week 5 Culliver has come up big. Several other rookies including Bruce Miller who is making a nice transition to Fullback after playing defense in college along with Colin Jones, Demarcus Dobbs, Ian Williams, Mike Person, Daniel Kilgore and Scott Tolzien have found their way onto the 49ers roster this season.
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San Francisco 49ers (1-1) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Paul Brown Stadium

Kickoff: 10:00 AM (PST) 1:00 PM (EST)

Michael Crabtree is active this week for the 49ers although his role is still unknown.   For the Bengals former 49ers Safety Taylor Mays is inactive however Wide Receiver Jerome Simpson is active for the Bengals despite a recent drug charge.  Bruce Miller will also see his first offensive action of the season with Moran Norris out while Dashon Goldson makes his first start at Safety.

Inactives
49ers: QB Scott Tolzien, WR Braylon Edwards, FB Moran Norris, OL Daniel Kilgore, OL Mike Person, NT Ian Williams, DE Demarcus Dobbs

Bengals: LB Dontay Moch, WR Jordan Shipley, DE Robert Geathers, OG Otis Hudson, S Taylor Mays, WR Andrew Hawkins, S Robert Sands