Will Brock Purdy be on the field today? An injury update and fantasy advice for Mac Jones in Week 9

Mike Moraitis

•
Is Brock Purdy playing today? Injury update, Mac Jones fantasy advice for Week 9 image

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

TL;DR

  • * San Francisco 49ers QB Brock Purdy is inactive for Week 9 due to a toe injury.
  • * Purdy participated in limited sessions, but his return date remains unknown.
  • * Mac Jones will start again for the 49ers against the New York Giants.
  • * Purdy's toe is "not fully healthy," making his Week 10 availability 50/50.

It seems like ages ago that we witnessed San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy step onto the field.

Purdy's last appearance was in Week 4, but he's been sidelined since aggravating his toe injury. He's now missed a total of six games this season as Week 9 approaches.

This week brought renewed optimism for Purdy's eventual return, but this was tempered by the reality that he only participated in three restricted sessions prior to drawing a questionable tag for Sunday's game.

Here's what we know regarding his prospects of playing.

Will Brock Purdy be on the field today?

UPDATE: Purdy is officially INACTIVE for Week 9 and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that he will not serve as the emergency third QB.

END OF UPDATE

Purdy won't be suiting up for The Niners in Week 9 when they face the New York Giants, and Mac Jones will be starting again, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed on Friday.

Shanahan did, however, mention that Purdy might be suitable as Jones' backup or as the third-string quarterback in emergencies, suggesting he's nearing a return.

Brock Purdy's return date is currently unknown.

This is the million dollar question.

Shanahan informed the media that Purdy participated in starter reps for the initial time since his toe injury sidelined him, indicating some advancement this week despite minimal game time. Shanahan also indicated that Purdy might be designated as Jones' backup or the third-string quarterback.

But Shanahan also admitted that Purdy's toe is still "not fully healthy," so that leaves him as 50/50, at best, for Week 10.

Mac Jones: start or bench him?

In his initial four outings of 2025, Jones performed exceptionally well, achieving an average of 313 passing yards, 1.5 touchdowns, and fewer than one interception per game during that period.

However, he's begun to return to reality lately, as Purdy has accumulated only 345 passing yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions in his most recent two games, placing him at QB15 overall in that Span.

If there's a bright spot for Jones this week, it's that the Giants are ceding the fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season, so it's a positive matchup.

Despite the fact that only two fantasy-relevant quarterbacks are on bye this week (Jalen Hurts and Baker Mayfield), you can likely discover superior alternatives elsewhere.

Verdict: Sit

NFL Trade Buzz

Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News. Over his nearly two decades covering sports, Mike has also worked for Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and FanSided. He hates writing in the third person.