49ers injury news vs. Chargers: Arik Armstead out (again)

The 49ers have been getting healthier, but defensive tackle Arik Armstead is still going to be out when the team hosts the Chargers on Sunday night.

The San Francisco 49ers have slowly been getting healthier after a rash of injuries plagued the team over the first half of the season.

However, one player who has remained on the sideline for the bulk of the year is veteran defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who is dealing with both a foot and ankle injury and hasn’t seen the field since the Niners’ Week 4 victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Armstead recently revealed to reporters that he was dealing with a hairline fracture in his ankle. And while he didn’t quite make it back ahead of schedule, he was nevertheless optimistic about being on the correct timeframe.

Except he won’t be back in time for San Francisco’s Week 10 Sunday Night Football showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The 49ers could have used an injured-reserve placement on Armstead. But, with only so many designations for players on IR to return, the Niners appear happier to simply keep Armstead on the weekly inactive list while he’s rehabbing.

Fortunately, San Francisco’s Week 10 injury list is a lot thinner than it was earlier in the season.

49ers have small injury list heading into Week 10 vs. Chargers

Speaking to reporters on Friday after practice, head coach Kyle Shanahan broke down an awfully small injury report.

It’s one that’s significant, though:

• OUT
  • DL Arik Armstead (foot, ankle)
  • CB Jason Verrett (knee)
• Doubtful
  • EDGE Samson Ebukam (Achilles)

The 49ers lost Verrett to a season-ending Achilles tear during practice this week, and it’s hard to gauge how big a disappointment that is for him after working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in Week 1 last season.

Verrett was only recently cleared off the physically unable-to-perform list where he began 2022, and he didn’t take a snap before suffering this latest setback.

With Ebukam doubtful, one might figure the Niners give an uptick in snaps to their top pick from this year’s NFL Draft, EDGE Drake Jackson, who ranks second among rookie pass-rushers with three sacks.

San Francisco and Los Angeles kick off their Sunday Night Football showdown on Nov. 13 at 8:20 p.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium.