49ers inactives for regular-season finale vs. Rams: Brock Purdy gets a break

The 49ers are going to be resting a lot of their starters, including Brock Purdy, for the Week 18 finale against the visiting Rams.

As far as the NFC playoff picture is concerned, Week 18's NFC West matchup between the visiting Los Angeles Rams and the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers means almost nothing.

Aside from other teams' potential tiebreakers within the conference that would factor in strength of schedule, the outcome between LA and the Niners has essentially zero bearing. San Francisco already clinched the No. 1 seed, while Los Angeles is locked into the sixth seed.

With this being a significant factor, both head coaches Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay have opted to rest a number of their key players and starters, including both teams' quarterbacks, the Rams' Matthew Stafford and the 49ers' Brock Purdy.

Instead of what could have been a marquee matchup between two hated division rivals with signal-callers on opposite ends of the respective careers, fans will be treated to a battle of the backups.

Sam Darnold and the Niners hosting Carson Wentz and Co.

With Purdy getting a break, Shanahan also listed out the other inactives, the majority of whom are on the Week 18 list because of injury.

49ers inactives for Week 18 vs. Rams

Including Purdy, the following players won't be dressing for Week 18's game:

• RB Christian McCaffrey
• QB Brock Purdy
• DB Ji'Ayir Brown
• DT Arik Armstead
• CB Ambry Thomas
• WR Jauan Jennnings
• S Tashaun Gipson

McCaffrey was ruled out earlier in the week because of a calf injury, although he's expected to be 100 percent in time for the playoffs.

Brown, Thomas and Gipson being banged up will stress the 49ers' secondary on Sunday, but again, it's a relatively meaningless affair and will at least afford defensive coordinator Steve Wilks to play around with some other pairings within the backfield.

Jennings remains out with a concussion, while Armstead misses his fifth game in a row.

The Niners and Rams kick off on Jan. 7 at 4:25 p.m. ET from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

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