Defensive lineman Solomon Thomas, who missed last weekend's game against the Houston Texans due to a concussion, will play on Saturday barring any setbacks.
"I just want him to get out there and play some football," Shanahan said. "We didn't play him much in the first game. He got out there, and I think it was just a couple of plays in he got that concussion. Those symptoms lingered for a while. He missed a big week in Houston and finally got cleared.
"He had his first two days of practice the last couple of days. I'm just excited for him to get out there tomorrow and get some reps, get to play that whole first half, and we'll look how it goes into the fourth game. He's done some good things this camp. He's improved each day. I just want him to get out there and play some so he's comfortable going into Week 1."
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Another player who will see a significant amount of playing time during the first half is cornerback Richard Sherman, who missed the 49ers' first two exhibition games with a hamstring injury. Saturday will be his first in-game action since the Achilles injury he sustained last November.
"Richard is one of our starters so we're hoping that he can play this first half," Shanahan said. "Also, Richard hasn't been in a lot. This is his first week back from his hamstring pull. We'll monitor his reps. We'd like it to be the first half.
"Everything with Richard, Richard doesn't have much to show us right now. It's about Richard just getting ready, and comfortable, and getting his body right for Week 1. And it's a little bit of a process with that.
"I think we had a big step forward this week just getting him back from that hamstring. He's gotten a ton of reps this week. Tomorrow will be his first time in a game. Hopefully, he'll get two quarters and then we'll reassess how he feels after the game and into next week and see how much we want to play him in the fourth game, if at all."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Shanahan below.
Linebacker Reuben Foster could be another starter who may join Sherman in the fourth game, according to general manager John Lynch. Foster will miss the first two weeks of the regular season while serving a league-issued two-game suspension.
"Right now, that was our plan, is that in the fourth preseason game, [Foster] would continue to play and try to get himself ready," Lynch said on KNBR Thursday night. "And then see if he can stay in great shape during those two weeks."
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