The San Francisco 49ers are not expected to have wide receiver Marquise Goodwin active in Week 5 vs. the Arizona Cardinals, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. This is not surprising news given the team’s decision on Saturday to activate wide receiver Victor Bolden from the suspended list.
Goodwin suffered quadricep and hamstring injuries last week and was limited in practice this week. The team was already going to be without rookie Dante Pettis, so this leaves them without two significant contributors. Pierre Garçon, Trent Taylor, and Kendrick Bourne will be the active regulars, and Bolden will join Richie James to round out the wide receiver depth chart.
Bolden earned a roster spot last season primarily as a kick returner. He will likely see some wide receiver snaps against the Cardinals, but James is the guy who could get more wide receiver work of the two. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said that if Goodwin could not play, “Richie James will definitely be involved.” James was a dynamic option in the preseason, but has only been active once this season.
It would appear the 49ers starting wide receivers for Week 5 will be Garçon and Bourne on the outside, with Trent Taylor in the slot. That would leave Bolden and James rotating into a variety of roles.