You can see how healthy the 49ers look heading into playoffs
For NFL teams to make it into the playoffs, there are two key factors: playing well and health. San Francisco has both. Their 10-game winning streak is evidence of how well they’re playing, and their virtually empty injury report is evidence of how much their health has turned around since the middle of the year.
It looked as though injuries could end their season by Week 6, when the 49ers lost to the Falcons in Atlanta. They’d lost running back Elijah Mitchell and quarterback Trey Lance. Nick Bosa, the defensive end, was hurt. Charvarius Ward and Emmanuel Moseley cornerbacks were also injured in Week 5.
San Francisco has been in good health since then, and the injury report for their Wild Card game against Seattle was very sparse.
The 49ers eliminated QB Jimmy Garoppolo from the game with a foot injury and CB Ambry Tom with an ankle problem. Both were expected to miss the week of practice after missing it.
There were a few players who practiced in limited settings on Tuesday and Wednesday in San Francisco. DL ArikArmstead (foot and ankle), OL Aaron Banks, (ankle and knee), LB Demetrius Flannigan–Fowles, (neck), LB DreGreenlaw, (back), DT Javon Kinlaw, (knee), RB Christian McCaffrey, (knee), were all limited participants during the first two sessions.
Thursday, the final practice before Saturday’s showdown with Seattle, saw that entire group move to a full participation, setting them up to play in the playoff opener.
Anything can happen once the game starts, but it’s hard to ask for a better situation going into the contest than the one the 49ers have.