Overview
- Fred Warner dislocated and fractured his right ankle on October 12 in Week 6 against the Buccaneers, an injury initially labeled season-ending.
- Head coach Kyle Shanahan recently said he does not expect Warner to return this season.
- Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports orthopedic surgeons view roughly 16 weeks as a typical recovery for this injury.
- With the Wild-card round scheduled for January 10–12, Barrows notes it would arrive about 13 weeks post-injury and offers estimated odds: 16% for Wild-card, 44% for Divisional, 78% for the NFC Championship, and jokingly high for the Super Bowl.
- San Francisco’s defense has slipped to a tie for 22nd in yards allowed without its All-Pro linebacker, making any late-postseason window for a return a focal point for the team’s hopes.