Photo credit: @49ers

By Jeremy Harness

Things only seem to get worse for the 49ers with each passing week.

At what is now the start of the rebuilding process under first-year head coach Kyle Shanahan as well as fellow rookie general manager John Lynch, the losses were expected to happen. But it seemed reasonable that the team would finish the season somewhat healthy.

That has not happened, not by a longshot.

As the losses continue to pile up for the 49ers, so do the season-ending injuries. Joining a list of players who are out for the rest of the year are safety Jaquiski Tartt, who suffered a broken forearm in last Sunday’s loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals, as well as receiver Pierre Garcon.

The 49ers currently have 18 players who are currently on IR, and some of the other notables on this list right now are defensive ends Arik Armstead and Tank Carradine as well as linebacker Malcolm Smith, who was lost for the season with a pectoral injury back in training camp.

If there is any good news to come out of team headquarters, it’s that tackle Joe Staley returned to practice Wednesday. The 49ers will need all the bodies they can get this week, as they face the mightily-struggling New York Giants on Sunday.

Furthermore, linebacker Reuben Foster was a full participant in practice after being limited for the past several weeks, meaning that he is getting much closer to full strength. Meanehile, fullback Kyle Juszczyk was limited in practice Wednesday while nursing a neck injury while tight end George Kittle did not practice at all with his ankle injury and is not expected to play Sunday.

Meanwhile, for the 1-7 Giants, there has been some significant injury issues, as star receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. was lost for the season early on in the year, and they have struggled to find a rhythm ever since.

This may be the best chance for the 49ers to get a win, and after this game, they will go into their bye week before facing the Seattle Seahawks at home. They will then take on the Chicago Bears, Houston Texas, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Rams to close out the season.