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49ers Rule Out Two Key Starters Versus the Cardinals

The 49ers will have to face the Cardinals in the regular season finale without these two key starters.

Jose Luis Sanchez III

Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
Dec 30, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
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The 49ers have ruled out two key starters versus the Cardinals in the regular season finale.

Deebo Samuel and Deommodore Lenoir will not be available for them. Their 2024 season is over with. Injuries to both players are not viewed as significant. With the game against the Cardinals meaningless, it is pointless for the 49ers to ask these two to play through pain.

Holding them out is the right decision so that they can put 2024 behind and flip to 2025. This season will end as a vastly disappointing one for Samuel. He finishes the year tallying an underwhelming 51 catches for 670 yards and only three touchdowns. His rushing stats were abysmal as well, tallying 42 carries for 136 yards and one touchdown.

Samuel was mostly a negatively impactful player for the 49ers on the field and in the locker room, from his aggressive confrontation with kicker Jake Moody to complaining on social media about his lack of involvement in the offense. This is a season he will want to forget about immediately and reflect on his mistakes.

As for Lenoir, he was tremendous for the 49ers. He was easily one of the best players on the team. You could argue he was the second-best after George Kittle. It's a shame that Lenoir's efforts this season go unrecognized in terms of the Pro Bowl. Still, it doesn't take away the amazing year he had.

Here is how the rest of the 49ers' injury report shapes up.

Out: Brock Purdy (elbow), Spencer Burford (calf), and Robert Beal Jr. (ankle).

Doubtful: Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf).

Questionable: George Kittle (ankle, hamstring), Colton McKivitz (knee), JiAyir Brown (ankle), and Isaac Yiadom (pelvis).

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Jose Luis Sanchez III
JOSE LUIS SANCHEZ III

Jose Luis Sanchez III has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily for FanNation since 2019. He started off as the lead publisher for FanNation's All49ers, then switched positions to become the Deputy Editor in 2020. Sanchez writes, edits, and produces videos daily for All49ers. He also co-hosts a show on YouTube with All49ers lead publisher Grant Cohn weekly. Prior to FanNation, Sanchez started his writing career back in 2016 for the school newspaper at Skyline college where he covered all sports team in the Bay Area. Following that from 2017 to 2019, he found a role as a contributor for FanSided's news desk along with their site's Just Blog Baby covering the Las Vegas Raiders and Golden Gate Sports every professional Bay Area sports team. Atop all of that, he was able to graduate with a Bachelors degree in Communication Studies at San Francisco State University in 2020. Sanchez is committed to ensuring he delivers transparent analysis and straightforward opinions that resonates with readers to get them thinking.

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