When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was diagnosed with a toe injury following Week 1, some felt it was an ailment that wouldn’t keep him out of action for that long. But he has missed every game, save for a Week 4 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, since then.
He is now slated to return and start this Sunday when the Niners visit the Arizona Cardinals. He finally became a full participant in practice on Thursday, and it was a welcome development, given how ravaged they have been by injuries dating back to the beginning of last season.
Per Vic Tafur of The Athletic, surgery was never an option for Purdy. Despite there being rumors that his turf toe would be similar to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, that was apparently not the case.
Purdy, the last player chosen in the 2022 NFL Draft, became the team’s starter in Week 13 of that season after Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo both suffered season-ending injuries. He made the Pro Bowl in 2023 while leading the league in passer rating, quarterback rating and touchdown percentage.
While he has been out, Mac Jones, the No. 15 pick in the 2021 draft, has filled in ably. He was thought to be a bust just months ago, but he has thrown for 2,151 yards and 13 touchdowns while completing 69.6% of his pass attempts in eight games this season.
Jones has played so well and has looked so poised, and the team has done such a solid job with him at the controls that there has been talk lately about a possible quarterback controversy brewing in the Bay Area.
While some pundits have called on San Francisco to stick with Jones, at least for the time being, at QB1, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that Purdy will be starting under center this weekend. After all, Purdy has been in Shanahan’s system for three years and has more chemistry with the team’s skill players than Jones, who is in his first season with San Francisco, does.
The Niners currently have a 6-4 record after losing to the Los Angeles Rams this past Sunday and are 1.5 games behind the Rams and Seattle Seahawks for first place in the NFC West. After facing Arizona this weekend, they will play the Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns before they have their bye in Week 14.
The Denver Broncos received tough news Friday afternoon.
As NBC Sports noted, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that running back J.K. Dobbins will amiss Sunday’s matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs due to a significant foot injury.
Rapoport added that Dobbins is “believed to be out for the foreseeable future.”
His placement on injured reserve remains a real possibility as the team evaluates its options.
“Dobbins is still working through options, and while there is no final determination, IR remains a possibility,” Rapoport said.
The report came from himself and Tom Pelissero.
The development marks a quick escalation from earlier in the week, when Dobbins missed Wednesday and Thursday’s practices.
At that point, the team had not revealed the full severity of the injury.
Dobbins’ injury stems from a hip-drop tackle last Thursday against the Raiders, a play that left him frustrated enough to take to X and call for the move to be banned.
Dobbins ranks fifth in the NFL with 772 rushing yards and has been a huge part of Denver’s offense so far this season.
While Dobbins has officially been ruled out for Week 11, the next major decision comes quickly.
The Broncos must determine by Saturday afternoon whether to place him on injured reserve.
If he is moved to IR before Sunday, the Chiefs game will count toward a required four-game absence.
Placing Dobbins on IR would sideline him for matchups against the Chiefs, Commanders, Raiders, and Packers.
He would be eligible to return Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Head coach Sean Payton acknowledged that discussions are ongoing.
“Nothing has been decided yet, and at some point there will be more clarity with him and some of these other players,” Payton said earlier this week.
Denver’s Week 12 bye gives the team a small cushion, but if the injury is significant enough to keep him out multiple weeks, the IR designation becomes more likely.
“With JK Dobbins potentially headed to Injured Reserve, all eyes turn to RJ Harvey,” Rapoport said.
RJ Harvey has already flashed his dynamic potential in limited work.
Payton praised Harvey’s running style, durability, and readiness to step into a larger role:
“When we drafted him, it was his running skillset, and he had a lot of touches at Central Florida,” Payton said.
“You are starting to see him grow in front of our eyes, and he will have more opportunities in this game.”
Tyler Badie will likely mix in as a third down guy, while Jaleel McLaughlin could be active as well.
Sunday’s divisional matchup against the Chiefs carries major playoff implications for both teams and Harvey has a huge opportunity to step up and flourish in the RB1 role.