The 49ers will play a key NFC West game on Thursday night without their starting quarterback and both starting wide receivers.
The 49ers on Wednesday ruled out quarterback Brock Purdy with a toe injury. Wide receivers Ricky Pearsall (knee) and Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs) officially are out for the game, as well.
Pearsall has 20 catches for 327 yards on the season, while Jennings has nine receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown in three games. Jennings was inactive for the 49ers’ Week 3 game against Arizona with an ankle injury.
Backup quarterback Mac Jones will get his third start of the season in place of Purdy.
The 49ers are likely to turn to Kendrick Bourne and Demarcus Robinson to be their top receivers against the Rams.
On Tuesday, Purdy foreshadowed the likelihood that he would not be able to play. He acknowledged he was not ready to play football.
“Tonight? No,” Purdy answered when he met with the media. “But I have two days.”
Purdy reported soreness in the area of his right big toe after the 49ers’ 26-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
Purdy originally sustained the toe injury in the 49ers’ Week 1 game against the Seattle Seahawks. He was not active for the 49ers’ next two games before returning to the starting lineup against the Jaguars.
“I feel a lot better compared to the Week 1 game, for sure,” Purdy said on Tuesday. “[The] toe is just a little sore from the game, but nowhere near as bad as after Seattle.”
Purdy completed 22 of 38 passes for 309 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss to Jacksonville.
Jones played well in the 49ers’ victories over the New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cradinals in Weeks 2 and 3. He completed 53 of 80 pass attempts for 563 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.
When he spoke with the media on Tuesday, Jones said he believes the Rams have the best defense in the league.
“They’re, in my opinion, the No. 1 defense in the NFL after watching them,” Jones said. “I know statistically they’re pretty high, but I’ve really been impressed with them. So it’s going to be a huge challenge. They do a lot of good stuff.”
The 49ers did not list defensive linemen Mykel Williams (wrist, oblique) and Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), linebacker Dee Winters (knee) and cornerback Renardo Green (neck) on their official injury report, which means each has been cleared to play Thursday night.
49ers injury report
OUT
QB Brock Purdy (toe)
WR Jauan Jennings (ankle, ribs)
WR Ricky Pearsall (knee)
WR Jordan Watkins (calf)
DE Robert Beal (ankle)
Questionable
DT CJ West (thumb)
Rams injury report
DOUBTFUL
OT Rob Havenstein (ankle)
TE Tyler Higbee (hip)