Armstead expected to return from injury for 49ers’ playoff run

In clinching the NFC's No. 1 playoff seed a week early, the 49ers bought some more recovery time for defensive tackle Arik Armstead. "He would've gone last week if we needed that," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday on a conference call with Bay Area reporters. "And that's why we were really pumped that we were able to get that [the No. 1 seed] so he didn't have to go last week. "Giving him that extra week, he's better right now than he was a week ago at this time." As Armstead appears ready to return to action, the 49ers figure to be without starting defensive end Clelin Ferrell for "a few weeks" due to a knee injury, Shanahan said. Ferrell, who started all 17 games for the 49ers this season, is not expected to be available for the team's first playoff game on the weekend of Jan. 20-21. "It's possible to get him back some time in the playoffs," Shanahan said. Defensive end Chase Young, a midseason acquisition from the Washington Commanders, is likely to step into the team's starting lineup in place of Ferrell. Second-year player Drake Jackson remains on injured reserve with a knee condition and is not ready to return, Shanahan said. "Our goal was to get out of that game...