It won’t be official until inactives are released 90 minutes before kickoff, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Saturday night reported 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will not play against the Houston Texans because of a torn UCL in the thumb on his throwing hand. Schefter also reported the team is optimistic Garoppolo will return vs. the Rams in Week 18.
It’s not a huge surprise that Garoppolo isn’t going to suit up. He was officially listed as ‘doubtful’ on Friday’s status report after not practicing all week. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said the club was holding out hope their starting QB would be ready by Sunday.
Rookie quarterback Trey Lance is in line to start in Garoppolo’s absence with Nate Sudfeld working as the backup. Lance lost his only start back in Week 5 when the 49ers fell 17-10 to the Cardinals in Arizona.
It’ll be interesting to see how the 49ers operate going into Week 18. Schefter reported there’s optimism Garoppolo will be able to play against the Rams in the season finale, but if he’s not 100 percent and Lance plays well against Houston, it might be hard for club to justify re-inserting their starter if he’s less than fully healthy. On the other hand, if Lance struggles vs. the Texans, there might be greater urgency to rush Garoppolo back.
