According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, tackle Trent Williams won't be suited up tonight when the San Francisco 49ers face the Minnesota Vikings. The 49ers have officially labeled him as "doubtful" for the Week 7 showdown, and he did not participate in the practices leading up to the game.
On the other hand, running back Christian McCaffrey, marked as "questionable," is anticipated to be in action tonight in Minnesota. He has been nursing a slight tear in his oblique, forcing him to sit out Thursday's and Friday's practices and making him a limited participant on Saturday.
"Well, first of all, Christian McCaffrey, [listed as] questionable. That guy is unbelievable," Schefter told Pat McAfee this morning. "Had like a team of people working on him all week long, like [physical] therapists, working on him around the clock. And he's going to be out there tonight. He's playing.
"The interesting part will be that he didn't take a hit in practice all week long. So is he going to play the whole game and be Christian McCaffrey, cyborg warrior and unaffected? Could be. Does he get hit right away and feel it? Maybe. We'll see. But he's definitely playing. He'll be out there tonight.
"Trent Williams, their left tackle, not going to play for the 49ers, [listed as] doubtful. That's a big loss."
It's doubtful that any of this is surprising to anyone. That's how things have been trending all week, with the 49ers hinting that they didn't expect Williams to play and McCaffrey suggesting that he had no intention of watching from the sideline.
San Francisco will also be without wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who is expected to miss at least the next two games (against the Vikings and the Bengals) due to a hairline fracture in his shoulder. The 49ers hope he can return after the bye week when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 12.
"Christian McCaffrey is gonna be out there tonight but he didn't take a hit in practice all week long..
Trent Williams isn't gonna play tonight for the 49ers" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/jtq6rCHPe6
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 23, 2023
