There will be a substantial absence for the visiting team on Sunday.
Dallas lost 40-year-old left tackle Jason Peters to a hip injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He didn’t practice this week and will not play Sunday against the 49ers.
The only other player in question for the 49ers is safety Jayron Kearse, who was limited in all three days of practice this week and is listed as questionable with a knee injury.
Peters’ absence will have the Cowboys shift back to an offensive line they employed plenty this season, but it’ll take a wrinkle out of their playbook.
Rookie Tyler Smith will shift from left guard to left tackle and Connor McGovern, who has been employed in an objectively funny big man fullback role, will slot in at left guard. Peters, despite his age, had clearly impacted the line in a positive way.
The two Ty. Smiths (Tyler and Tyron) bookending the Cowboys line will have a major task in facing Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead company.
San Francisco, meanwhile, is pretty healthy and has no players questionable.
Both Jimmy Garoppolo (foot) and Ambry Thomas (ankle) are out, but Samson Ebukam and Jauan Jennings, who have been nursing ankle injuries this week, are good to go for Sunday.
Thomas could return by next week, Shanahan said, and that doesn’t seem like a rose-tinted assessment. He had a fairly intense workout on Thursday and looked close to full speed.
The more nebulous situation is with Garoppolo, who probably won’t be able to return for the NFC Championship, Shanahan said.
A potential Super Bowl availability, though? Potentially.
“It was the first week he was able to come out on the field, walk around a little bit, do some work out there,” Shanahan said. “I’d be surprised [if he could play in the NFC Championship], but I think it depends how this whole weekend goes. I think it’s an outside chance. I think there would be a better chance [for the Super Bowl].”
Garoppolo has been more visible around the 49ers facility as of late, and no longer in a walking boot. If he were to return, it’s been widely reported it would be in a backup role for Brock Purdy.
