Photo credit: @49ers

By Jeremy Harness

The 49ers have been banged up all season thus far, but they have stayed competitive throughout, when it has seemed that all has been lost.

That should help, as they prepare to face the Arizona Cardinals, who have yet to win a game in this young season, Sunday afternoon at Levi’s Stadium, in a game featuring a pair of struggling teams that had lofty expectations heading into the season.

C.J. Beathard kept the 49ers in the game but ultimately could not bring his team to victory on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, as a pair of interceptions–including one that put the brakes on the 49ers’ last drive of the game–proved to be his undoing.

He will look to improve on his performance at home Sunday afternoon, but he will have a rather-depleted lineup to work with. For starters, left tackle Joe Staley injured his knee against the Chargers, and he did not practice Wednesday because of it.

Meanwhile, running back Matt Breida was limited in practice on Wednesday with a shoulder injury he’s been dealing with, while guard Mike Person was limited with a knee injury of his own.

To add to all of that, receiver Dante Pettis also injured his knee early on in Sunday’s game and did not practice on Wednesday, while fellow receiver Marquise Goodwin is nursing hamstring and quadricep issues and was held out of Wednesday’s practice.

Like the 49ers, the Cardinals have a new starting quarterback in rookie Josh Rosen, who impressed the Arizona brass in his NFL debut in nearly pulling out the win against Seattle last Sunday.

For Arizona, star receiver Larry Fitzgerald is dealing with hamstring and back issues and did not practice on Wednesday, although he is expected to play Sunday. Also expected to play on Sunday are tight end Jermaine Gresham and tackle Andre Smith, and both were limited in practice