The Dallas Cowboys sit at 3-1 on this young season, and Week 5 might end up being their biggest challenge of the year.
Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys will fly out to Santa Clara, CA to take on the 4-0 San Francisco 49ers in prime time.
The storylines between these two teams are abundant, both due to recent events and also the storied history.
Dak Prescott is 2-2 versus the 49ers, but both the losses have come in the last two years to eliminate the Cowboys from the playoffs.
Brock Purdy has not lost a regular season game as the 49ers quarterback dating back to Week 13 of last year.
Both teams sport dominant defenses with scary pass rushers born and bred to torment quarterbacks.
There was one unit that the 49ers held the obvious advantage until the release of this injury report: the offensive line.
Ladies and gentlemen of Cowboys Nation, it’s possible that the Cowboys will field their starting five offensive linemen together for the first time since the 2021 season.
That’s great news for the Cowboys, but bad news for the 49ers.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys officially listed eight players during the week on their injury report for Week 4.
Out
TE Peyton Hendershot (ankle)
Cowboys’ rotational TE Peyton Hendershot tweaked an ankle versus the Cardinals, and has not practiced since.
As of Friday morning, Hendershot was still working with the rehab group, and is officially OUT for Sunday Night.
Dallas will likely call up TE Sean McKeon for the second week in a row.
No Designation
WR CeeDee Lamb (rest), DE DeMarcus Lawrence (rest), RG Zack Martin (quad, rest), LT Tyron Smith (knee, rest), RB Rico Dowdle (hip), OL Chuma Edoga (knee), S Malik Hooker (shoulder), LB Micah Parsons (knee)
Those who were alarmed to see DE DeMarcus Lawrence and WR CeeDee Lamb on this report Wednesday can rest easy.
That’s exactly why Lamb and Lawrence were listed, as taking veteran rest days.
Their game status is not in question.
RG Zack Martin and LT Tyron Smith were also listed as taking a veteran rest day on Wednesday even though they are dealing with quad and knee injuries, respectively.
However, they were listed as full practice participants on Thursday, and the Cowboys expect to have them both ready to go for San Francisco.
A huge boost to the offense having their two most veteran players in the game.
Should there be any setbacks, Chuma Edoga and TJ Bass will be in line as relief.
RB Rico Dowdle, suffering from a bruised hip, was listed as a full participant in practice on Thursday.
He should be ready for Sunday night.
Depth OL Chuma Edoga popped up on the report this week with a sore knee, but has been listed as a full participant.
S Malik Hooker is dealing with a shoulder problem, and has been limited in practice all week, but is expected to play.
Micah Parsons lands on the injury report for the first time this season, but according to him and Jerry Jones, he will be ready to go Sunday.
Questionable
LB Damone Clark (shoulder)
LB Damone Clark has been a limited participant in practice all week with an injured shoulder.
Should Clark not be ready to go Sunday, it puts the Cowboys in a precarious position with Leighton Vander Esch being the only linebacker left from the original 53 man roster.
There are players like Malik Jefferson or newly acquired Mikel Jones that can be called up from the practice squad.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers’ injury report early in the week was just as long as the Cowboys’, but just more impactful players are not practicing.
Out
RB Elijah Mitchell (knee)
Elijah Mitchell, the main relief for McCaffrey, has officially been ruled OUT for this Sunday’s matchup.
No Designation
RB Christian McCaffrey (rest), LT Trent Williams (rest), LB Dre Greenlaw (ankle), WR Jauan Jennings (shin), WR Deebo Samuel (knee), CB Charvarius Ward (heel)
The 49ers also have players that take veteran rest days.
Arguably their two best offensive players rested on Wednesday, and that’s the only reason Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams were listed on the report.
A couple of big defensive names popped up on the 49ers injury report this week.
Dre Greenlaw and Charvarius Ward both did not practice on Wednesday with ankle and heel injuries, respectively.
Wide receivers Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel are both dealing with knee injuries, and both were limited at practice.
However, all four players are now listed under no designation, and ready to play Sunday.
Questionable
C Jon Feliciano (concussion)
Feliciano is a valuable depth piece on the offensive line, but may miss this Sunday due to a concussion suffered last week versus the Cardinals.