By this point in the season, the San Francisco 49ers have grown accustomed to being shorthanded.
And that's not going to change whatsoever in Week 8 on the road against the Houston Texans.
Already without star defenders Nick Bosa (knee) and Fred Warner (ankle), a shorthanded Niners offense will be missing some noteworthy faces when they square off against an old friend, head coach DeMeco Ryans, who has his 2-4 Texans playing well, at least defensively, despite being in third place within the AFC South.
Granted, head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad has managed to survive the injury attrition, thanks largely to backup quarterback Mac Jones filling in admirably for the still-injured Brock Purdy under center.
However, it's hard to imagine a world in which Jones or Purdy would be better off without San Francisco's up-and-coming wide receiver, Ricky Pearsall, who hasn't seen action since suffering a Week 4 knee injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
As has been the case so often with most of the 49ers' injured players, Pearsall's return seems to be creeping inevitably closer.
But, at least according to Friday's final injury report ahead of the game, that return isn't quite here yet.
Ricky Pearsall just 1 of several 49ers starters who won't play vs. Texans
Following Friday's practice, Shanahan briefed reporters on the final injury designations for his team ahead of Sunday's tilt in Houston:
Out
WR Ricky Pearsall (knee)
QB Brock Purdy (toe)
C Jake Brendel (hamstring)
DE Bryce Huff (hamstring)
DE Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring)
Questionable
CB Deommodore Lenoir (quad)
LB Luke Gifford (hamstring)
OL Spencer Burford (knee)
Purdy remains having started just two games this season, giving way to Jones, while Huff's absence removes the defense its best pass-rusher behind Bosa.
Pearsall has appeared in just four games to date this season, meaning he'll have missed half of the Niners' 2025 campaign to date in Sunday's wake. And, with fellow wideout Jauan Jennings still banged up with ankle and ribs injuries, one has to assume Jones will rely heavily on the pre-existing chemistry with veteran receiver Kendrick Bourne, who alread has two 142-yard games on the year.
And it also helps have to have a dual-threat weapon in running back Christian McCaffrey, whose 981 yards from scrimmage lead the league.
Tight end George Kittle's Week 7 return from injured reserve should assist matters, too, as it did the previous week against the Atlanta Falcons even though the All-Pro didn't record a single catch. Where Kittle thrived, however, was serving both as a legitimate decoy and opening up additional lanes for McCaffrey on the ground.
San Francisco assuredly needs that kind of effort again when it kicks off against a stout Houston run defense on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. ET from NRG Stadium.