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The San Francisco 49ers' 2024 campaign has been defined by injuries. Heading into their Week 16 matchup against the Miami Dolphins, that fact remains true.
Both left tackle Trent Williams and running back Isaac Guerendo have been ruled out, via Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group. Williams is dealing with an ankle injury while Guerendo is battling a hamstring ailment.
Guerendo picked up his injury in Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams. While he played through a foot injury, his hamstring became a new problem. Widely expected early in the week, Guerendo's Week 16 fate has now been sealed.
If the 49ers had the season they were expecting, there's a chance Guerendo wouldn't have seen the field. He got his call once Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason went down with injury. Still, the running back has made the most of it, gaining 381 yards and four touchdowns on 73 carries. San Francisco will be calling on Patrick Taylor with Guerendo down, but it'll be difficult to truly replace the rookie's 5.2 yards per carry.
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Williams hasn't played since Week 11. With the 49ers out of playoff contention and dropping like flies, it's fair to wonder if the talented left tackle will return before the end of the season. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already expressed the sentiment. While it would hurt their protection for the remainder of the season, it might also ensure Williams' health for 2025.
Even in just 10 games, the left tackle put up another vintage performance. He earned a stellar 85.6 grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking seventh out of 132 tackles. Williams left no doubt that when healthy, he remains one of the best offensive lineman in the league.
The keywords there being, when healthy. With how bad things have gotten, it's hard to truly fault the 49ers for falling out of contention. Even without Guerendo and Williams, they'll look to show some fight when they take on the Dolphins.
