Golden Nuggets: Garoppolo is Starting on Sunday

Happy Thursday folks, it’s a beautiful day for football. Tonight, we’ve got the Cowboys and Indians facing the Washington Football Team in a game that doesn’t really matter, because the NFC East is already standing on the verge of being locked up. Furthermore, Dallas has been something of a complete dumpster fire since Ezekiel Elliot began his 6 game suspension, and Kirk Cousins seems to have dropped off radar for the 2018 San Francisco 49ers. Needless to say, the rooting guide for this game is pretty simple: throw it to Jamison Crowder a lot (fantasy football playoffs are on the line here, folks), and maybe a blowout of the Cowboys (because they’re the Cowboys).

As I’m sure you’ve heard already, Jimmy Garoppolo will be starting on Sunday against the Bears. Although the Bears defense isn’t what it was just a few years ago, Jimmy G is a relatively new addition, and at a position with an extremely steep learning curve (especially under Kyle Shanahan). With that being said, Shanahan was forthcoming in his Wednesday press conference that the gameplan would be generally tailored to what Garoppolo has already picked up - every play they install this week will be a familiar concept to the QB. Expect relatively generic playcalling.

In roster news, the movement of OL Erik Magnuson and RB Raheem Mostert were filled on Wednesday by promoting RB Jeremy McNichols (ex-Tampa Bay RB) from the practice squad, and signing OL Tim Barnes off the street (after an offseason with the team). There was also some practice squad movement, with the release of DL Noble Nwachukwu, and the signing of LB Boseko Lokombo (a 2013 third round pick in the CFL, 2015 CFL-West All-Star) and CB Channing Stribling (spent time on the Colts’ & Raiders’ practice squads this year).

On to the good stuff-

Jimmy Garoppolo to start in front of hometown Chicago crowd | Branch, SF Gate

Could CJ Beathard start again this season? | Pashelka, Mercury

RB Jeremy McNichols, IOL Tim Barnes signed | Inman, Mercury | Lynch, KNBR | Lynch, KNBR | Barrows, Sac Bee | Biderman, Ninerswire

Game plan for Chicago will be limited | Maiocco, NBCS Bay Area | Barrows, Sac Bee

Former NFL QB Kordell Stewart believes in Garoppolo | Lynch, KNBR

Questioning Garoppolo’s future as a 49er | Lynch, KNBR | Wagoner, ESPN

John Lynch has good things to say about Carlos Hyde | Wagoner, ESPN

Bears & 49ers duke it out for draft positioning again | Wagoner, ESPN

RT Trent Brown’s status for Sunday remains a question | Biderman, Ninerswire

[TRANSCRIPT] Kyle Shanahan’s Wednesday press conference | Biderman, Ninerswire

Shanahan praises Garoppolo’s quick release | Biderman, Ninerswire