Niners not sure on Breida
The San Francisco 49ers still aren’t certain about the availability of their top two running backs for tomorrow’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Matt Breida, among the NFL leaders in rushing, and Alfred Morris both were limited in practice yesterday and are listed as questionable. That’s an obvious concern for an offense preparing for its first full game without franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who suffered a seasonending knee injury last week against Kansas City.
Breida hyperextended his right knee while planting to make a cut in the first half against the Chiefs. He returned later in the game, but the second-year back out of Georgia Southern hasn’t shown considerable improvement in practice since then.
“He’s been up and down a little bit this week,” coach Kyle Shanahan said yesterday. “He got a little bit more (practice time Thursday). We kept him limited just trying to manage the wear and tear. But ‘questionable’ is better than ‘doubtful,’ so we’re hoping it works out.”
Morris also is slowed by a knee injury. While he brings power running between the tackles, Breida is the game-breaking threat. His 274 yards are tied for second in the league with the Dallas Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott — behind the Rams’ Todd Gurley.
But Breida has carried the ball just 32 times, giving him an average of 8.6 yards per carry that’s best in the NFL.
His emergence has helped soften the blow of the 49ers losing expected starting running back Jerick McKinnon to a torn ACL shortly before the season opener.
“It’s gonna be a gametime decision,” Breida said of his availability against the Chargers. “I gotta feel comfortable. I’m not at 100 percent right now.
“I know I have to be smart, too, and understand that if I’m not gonna be able to cut off it and not gonna be able to run, then why go out there and get myself hurt and hurt the team at the same time?” . . .
For the Chargers, wide receivers Keenan Allen and Travis Benjamin are listed as questionable for the game against the 49ers. Both were limited participants during yesterday’s practice.
Fournette up in air
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette will be a gameday decision for the third straight week. Fournette, who strained his right hamstring in the season opener, was listed as questionable for tomorrow against the New York Jets despite practice in full yesterday. Fournette says he’s getting better but isn’t ready to commit to returning . . . .
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee has been ruled out for tomorrow against Detroit because of a hamstring injury, and defensive tackle Maliek Collins will be sidelined for a second straight week by a knee injury.
Lee’s absence means he will have missed at least one game because of injury in eight of his nine NFL seasons.
Four-time Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick is out again as he recovers from Guillain-Barre syndrome, a condition that affects the nerves. He hasn’t played this season.