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The 49ers defense will be a bit shorthanded for its Week 10 prime-time Monday Night Football matchup with the visiting New York Giants, as linebacker Reuben Foster (shoulder) and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder) have both been ruled OUT and are inactive for the game.
Both Foster and Tartt missed the Niners' contest against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday Night Football in Week 9. In Foster's place, San Francisco bumped fellow safety Malcolm Smith over to the weak-side (WILL) spot and had Dekoda Watson, who had just returned from injured reserve, slide into the SAM linebacker position.
One might expect the same against New York.
Tartt was replaced by defensive back Tyvis Powell, whom the 49ers waived Monday to make room for practice squad running back Matt Dayes. This would indicate the Niners are starting fellow defensive back Antone Exum in Tartt's stead with rookie safety Marcell Harris backing him up.
Here's the entirety of San Francisco's Week 10 inactives:
- QB Tom Savage
- WR Pierre Garçon
- S Jaquiski Tartt
- LB Reuben Foster
- OL Erik Magnuson
- DT Jullian Taylor
- OT Shon Coleman
Garçon, who found the end zone for the first time as a 49ers wide receiver last week, was absent from practice this week with a knee injury. His absence opens up the door for fellow wideouts Kendrick Bourne and Dante Pettis to assume a more active role against a Giants defense allowing 6.9 yards per pass on the season.
It will be interesting to see if second-year quarterback Nick Mullens, who'll get the start Monday night, can develop an early rapport with either target.