Nick Mullen will start at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers after Jimmy Garoppolo suffered an ankle sprain. Bill Kostroun/Associated Press
Nick Mullens will start at quarterback on Sunday for the San Francisco 49ers in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo but won’t have All-Pro tight end George Kittle as an option.
Garoppolo didn’t practice all week because of a high ankle sprain suffered last week but wasn’t officially ruled out for this week’s game against the New York Giants until Friday. Coach Kyle Shanahan also said Friday that Kittle will miss a second straight game after spraining his knee in the season opener. Kittle practiced on a limited basis this week but wasn’t healthy enough to go.
“I thought it was a lot safer to leave him out,” Shanahan said. “We didn’t need to wait another day because of how he sounded today.”
The 49ers will be without injured running backs Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman, linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quadriceps) and edge rusher Dee Ford (back). Defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas were placed on injured reserve this week with season-ending knee injuries.
Garoppolo’s injury sets the stage for Mullens to make his first start for the 49ers in nearly 21 months. The former undrafted free agent from Southern Mississippi showed flashes during an eight-game stint at the end of the 2018 season after Garoppolo was sidelined with a season-ending knee injury.
Mullens won three of his eight starts for a struggling Niners team that season, completing 64.2% of his passes for 284.6 yards passing per game, with 13 TDs, 10 interceptions and a 90.8 rating. His 8.2 yards per attempt rank fourth best among the 50 quarterbacks with at least five starts the past three seasons.
RAIDERS: Las Vegas will be without speedy rookie receiver Henry Ruggs III this week because of injuries to his knee and hamstring.
Ruggs was ruled out Friday for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, along with starting right tackle Trent Brown and linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski.
Brown has been sidelined by a calf injury since leaving the opener at Carolina after one series. Kwiatkoski injured his pectoral muscle later in that game and will miss his second straight week.
Running back Josh Jacobs (hip), star tight end Darren Waller (knee), tackle Sam Young (groin) and offensive lineman Denzelle Good (thumb, illness) are all listed as questionable this week.
PACKERS: Green Bay Coach Matt LaFleur says it’s “probably doubtful” that Davante Adams will play Sunday night at New Orleans due to a hamstring injury.
Adams hasn’t practiced this week since leaving the Packers’ 42-21 victory over the Detroit Lions in the second half. LaFleur has said there’s a possibility Adams could play even without practicing all week if the three-time Pro Bowl selection feels fine on Sunday.
“We’ll give him the rest of the week to see where he’s at, but ultimately we’ve got to see if he’s able to go,” LaFleur said Friday. “I know he’s doing everything in his power to make that happen, but I’d say right now he’s probably doubtful.”
Adams has 17 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns this season. He caught 14 passes in a season-opening victory at Minnesota to tie Don Hutson’s 78-year-old franchise record for receptions in a game.
SAINTS: New Orleans ruled out 2019 Offensive Player of the Year Michael Thomas, which means he will miss a second straight game with an ankle injury.
Thomas had three catches for 17 yards through most of a season-opening victory over Tampa Bay before he was rolled up on by Saints running back Latavius Murray in the fourth quarter and went limping off the field with an ankle injury.
JETS: New York wide receivers Jamison Crowder and Breshad Perriman were ruled out for the team’s game at Indianapolis on Sunday because of injuries, and Braxton Berrios injured a hamstring at practice Friday and was listed as questionable to play.
That leaves just Chris Hogan and Josh Malone as healthy wide receivers on the active roster – and Hogan practiced fully Friday after being limited Wednesday and Thursday with an injured rib.
BILLS: Buffalo rookie running back Zack Moss is out for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams with a toe injury.
A third-round pick out of Utah, Moss has split time in the backfield with second-year pro Devin Singletary to open the season.
BROWNS: Cornerback Denzel Ward is listed as questionable with a groin injury and cornerback Greedy Williams will miss his third straight game with a shoulder injury sustained in training camp.
RAVENS-CHIEFS: The Baltimore Ravens will allow 250 immediate family members of players, coaches and front office staff to Monday night’s game against Kansas City Chiefs.
They will be the only people in attendance.
Because of the pandemic, the Ravens have not allowed fans to attend their home games. These 250 people will be permitted to attend through a recent order of Maryland’s Department of Health. The family members must be living in the same local household as a player, coach or staff member and are required to wear a mask and follow safety protocols developed by health experts, government officials, the Ravens, the NFL and the players’ union.
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