Kyle Shanahan keeps us in the dark regarding 49ers starters playing vs. Saints

Kyle Shanahan has been pretty quiet regarding which of his starters will play in the 49ers' Week 2 preseason game against the Saints.

It's unclear whether or not the San Francisco 49ers will field the bulk of their first-team units when they host the visiting New Orleans Saints for a preseason Week 2 showdown at Levi's Stadium this Sunday.

And head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't exactly clarified his plans for the exhibition bout either.

Speaking to reporters in the wake of last Saturday's preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans, Shanahan highlighted the growing number of injuries his team has been dealing with, which ultimately convinced him to cancel joint practices with New Orleans down in Irvine, California, in the days leading up to this Sunday's contest.

In that presser, the head coach was elusive about whether or not his starters would take the field for at least some modest action against the Saints.

"Yeah, there is a chance," Shanahan said when asked if canceling practices with New Orleans would convince him to play his starters during the game. "Usually, I decide that based off how the joint practices go. There’s been times I’ve told them that we’re going to go and I’m going to use all the ones in these joint practices a ton and not play them in the game, and the practices haven’t gone the way I’ve wanted and we’ve ended up playing them."

So, you're saying there's a chance?

"We’ll see how those three practices go and we’ll make the decision on what we think helps our team and the individuals for the game," Shanahan concluded.

Shanahan rested all but a handful of starters for Week 1 of the preseason, and a few first-team players are all but guaranteed to be unavailable, namely running back Christian McCaffrey, who's dealing with a calf injury and is expected to miss the entire preseason.

Should that be the case again in Week 2?

Why Kyle Shanahan plays (some of) his starters vs. Saints

There's some between-the-lines reading with Shanahan's comments.

Had the joint practices taken place, and the first-team players didn't meet his expectations, then Shanahan would likely have given his starters at least a series or two during the game. But those sessions didn't take place, and the coach pointed out the plusses of going up against different schemes and players.

So, allowing his offensive and defensive starters the chance to match up against someone else for a change would have its merits, proverbially "shaking off some of the gametime rust."

Why Kyle Shanahan sits his starters vs. Saints

To counter, Shanahan needs to avoid angering the already-angry injury goods, particularly with 23 players having missed practice the previous week.

If Sunday's tilt was the final exhibition tune-up, it'd be one thing. But, considering it's only Week 2 of the preseason, the Niners have little to gain by fielding their first-team offense and defense, even if for only a series or two.

Plus, the overwhelming bulk of starting jobs are already sealed. Depth positions, however, are very much up for grabs, meaning Shanahan may opt to use the full 60 minutes to evaluate potential depth charts and the roster bubble rather than giving snaps to players who already have bona fide roles.

Only Shanahan knows for sure, though.

San Francisco kicks off against New Orleans on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. ET from Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Update: During his Friday presser, Shanahan revealed most of his starters, including quarterback Brock Purdy, will get in a series or two on Sunday.

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