SANTA CLARA – Win big, then deal with the casualty toll afterward. That’s been the undefeated 49ers’ pattern [through two games](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/09/21/cam-inman-49ers-shanahan-mvp-purdy-kittle-mccaffrey/), and Monday brought to light more injury concerns.
[Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson](https://www.mercurynews.com/2026/09/21/49ers-wide-receiver-kyle-shanahan-jordan-watkins-brock-purdy-kurtenbach-0921/) is likely headed for the increasingly crowded Injured Reserve list, having sustained a high-ankle sprain in Sunday’s 35-13, home-opening rout of the Miami Dolphins.
The other damning news is that rookie defensive end Romello Height fractured a hand that will require surgery Tuesday, but he still has an “outside chance” of playing Sunday when the 49ers (2-0) host the Arizona Cardinals (1-1), coach Kyle Shanahan said in a media conference call.
The best health update concerns one of their best players, wide receiver Mike Evans, whose hip issue will only require the team to “manage” his workload this week after he sat out Sunday’s fourth quarter with the outcome already set.
Rookie defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. also sustained a high-ankle sprain, an injury that typically requires three to six weeks of recovery. It’s unknown if he is a candidate for IR, where the 49ers already have listed the following players since setting their initial 53-man roster: wide receivers Christian Kirk and De’Zhaun Stribling; tight end Jake Tonges; defensive linemen Alfred Collins and Sam Okuayinonu; cornerback Nate Hobbs; and, linebacker Nick Martin.
Stribling and Tonges sustained ankle and knee injuries, respectively, in the 27-7 win over the Rams to open the season in Australia. Right after Sunday’s win, Robinson captioned an Instagram post stating: “Good First Home Game Dub!! Can’t Wait To Get Back Out There.”
**PURDY’S FILM**
Brock Purdy played “almost flawless” in an “unbelievable game,” Shanahan said upon reviewing film of Purdy’s 20-of-22, 287-yard outing with two touchdowns, no interceptions, no sacks and 18 consecutive completions at one point.
Although Purdy targeted Evans only three times, each resulted in a completion, including a 27-yard needle-threader to the 1-yard line. Evans, despite missing chunks of training camp with minor injuries, debuted with six receptions and a touchdown in the season-opening win.
Shanahan said of the Purdy-to-Evans instant connection: “When you have two really good players in sync, they get together pretty fast.”
**WIDE RECEIVER OPTIONS**
Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins and KhaDarel Hodge will be counted on as the remaining reserves on the 53-man roster behind Evans and Deebo Samuel, said Shanahan, who noted that the front office is also exploring outside options. Undrafted rookies Wesley Grimes and Will Pauling are on the practice squad.
Shanahan, after Sunday’s game, ruled out any possibility of bringing back Brandon Aiyuk, who ditched the team a year ago and remains on the reserve/left squad list without seeking reinstatement through the NFL office.
**WILLIAMS’ PRACTICE PLAN**
The 49ers will not invoke a new NFL rule and introduce defensive end Mykel Williams into the practice mix this week, as allowed for players in Week 3 after starting the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. Instead, the 49ers will replicate his individual work on a side field before bringing him back for Week 4 practices. The same Week 3 practice activation is not available for players who began the season on IR, such as Kirk.