Staley unlikely to play Sunday

Offensive tackle Joe Staley returned to 49ers practice this week, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will rejoin the lineup for Sunday’s home game against Carolina.

Staley, sidelined since Sept. 15 with a broken fibula, was a limited participant in practice for the third consecutive day Friday. The 49ers listed him as doubtful for Sunday’s game.

One reason for the cautious approach: San Francisco plays another game only four days later, Thursday night at Arizona.

“He needs to be good enough to make it through both games,” head coach Kyle Sha

nahan said. “He’s obviously a little bit sore from working throughout the week, and we’ll see how that responds in the next 24 hours. It would be a lot easier if he didn’t have to be ready four days after that.”

The 49ers also might face the Panthers without wide receiver Marquise Goodwin. He’s listed as questionable for the game, after missing practice for personal reasons for the second consecutive day.

Goodwin and his wife, Morgan, have suffered through three miscarriages over the past two years, though this issue is not believed to be related to her most recent pregnancy.

“Quise has been through as much tragic stuff here in the three years I’ve been with him as anyone I’ve been around,” Shanahan said. “We’ll see how it goes this weekend, but right now he is questionable.”

Running back Raheem Mostert (knee) and tight end Levine Toilolo (groin) also are questionable for Sunday’s game. Sanders’ debut: Goodwin’s potential absence could force newly acquired wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders into heavy duty against Carolina. The 49ers landed Sanders in a trade with Denver on Tuesday.

Shanahan didn’t hesitate when asked if he expects Sanders to play Sunday.

“Yeah, he’s going to play a lot,” Shanahan said.

Sanders crammed all week to learn the 49ers’ playbook. Shanahan said there are many similarities between San Francisco’s offense and Denver’s offense, which accelerated the process for Sanders.

Sanders had 30 catches this season for the Broncos, twice as many as the 49ers’ leading wide receiver, (Deebo Samuel, with 15). Tight end George Kittle has a teamhigh 34 receptions.