Photo credit: @49ers

By Jeremy Harness

The 49ers will head to Indianapolis to face the Colts in their third preseason game at Lucas Oil Stadium Saturday afternoon. When they get there, the 49ers will be without yet another running back.

That’s because Joe Williams, who spent his rookie season on the injured-reserve list, suffered a rib injury during Saturday’s game against the Houston Texans, and he has already been ruled out for Week 1 of the regular season.

The team is already without starter Jerick McKinnon, who suffered a calf strain during practice a week ago. However, he reportedly was doing individual conditioning work and is gearing towards returning to the lineup in time for Week 1 at Minnesota, when the 49ers face McKinnon’s former team in the Vikings.

He has already been ruled out for the rest of the preseason.

If that’s not enough, the team lost backup Matt Breida in their first preseason game, at home against the Dallas Cowboys. He has been ruled out for rest of the preseason with the separated shoulder he suffered in the second quarter against Dallas.

Just like McKinnon, however, Breida is expected to be back in the lineup when the 49ers open the regular season on Sept. 9.

If there is good news leading into Saturday’s exhibition, the team could see the first live action for cornerback Richard Sherman in a 49ers uniform. He has missed the team’s first two preseason games with a hamstring injury he suffered early on in training camp.

Meanwhile, linebacker Eli Harold can return at any point during the preseason, after he suffered a knee contusion in the preseason opener against the Cowboys. Another linebacker, Malcolm Smith, is currently nursing a hamstring injury and is looking to shake the injury bug that has seemed to have bitten him repeatedly since signing with the 49ers last offseason.