49ers inactives: Deebo Samuel will play vs. Bengals in Week 14

The 49ers get some good news ahead of their Week 14 bout versus the Bengals, as Deebo Samuel will make his return after a one-game injury absence.

The San Francisco 49ers probably would have won their Week 13 game against the Seattle Seahawks if wide receiver Deebo Samuel was in the lineup, as he would have taken some pressure off quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to carry the load, and Samuel would have sparked the run game, too, which ultimately netted an average of just 2.8 yards per carry.

Alas, however, Samuel was out with a groin injury suffered the week before, and his team fell to the Hawks 30-23 in a disappointing effort.

But the good news is he’ll be back for the Niners’ Week 14 road tilt against the 7-5 Cincinnati Bengals.

Samuel, who leads San Francisco with 1,209 all-purpose yards and the enter NFL with 14.9 yards per touch, could potentially be on a pitch count for head coach Kyle Shanahan. With running back Elijah Mitchell out with a concussion, though, Samuel’s dual-threat usage could be the spark the 49ers need to pull off a crucial road win.

49ers inactives for Week 14 vs. Bengals

Mitchell’s potential absence puts pressure on No. 2 running back Jeff Wilson Jr., who’ll likely get the start in Week 14.

The Niners listed the following players as inactive for Week 14 versus Cincy:

• CB Dontae Johnson
• DL Maurice Hurst
• LB Dre Greenlaw
• RB Elijah Mitchell
• LB Tyrell Adams
• OL Colton McKivitz

Cincinnati owns the NFL’s No. 7-ranked scoring offense, but it’s defense enters the week with the No. 12 scoring defense, so having a player like Samuel back in the fray could make life a lot easier for Shanahan as he tries to ensure his defense slows down what could be a potent Bengals offense during the game.

Both teams kick off on Sunday, Dec. 12 at 4:25 p.m. ET from Paul Brown Stadium.