On 7 November, San Francisco activated wide receiver Demarcus Robinson from injured reserve ahead of their game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the club announced. San Francisco also placed Christian Kirk on injured reserve and elevated KhaDarel Hodge from its practice squad.
Robinson returns as Kirk leaves the active roster
The club's Saturday roster notice removed Robinson's questionable designation for the Raiders game. On Friday, the receiver had still been listed as questionable with an ankle injury after limited practice throughout the week. Activation changes his roster status, but the match itself remains to be played.
The club's head coach Kyle Shanahan had signalled the move in Friday's injury update. Asked whether Robinson and cornerback Nate Hobbs would be activated, Shanahan said: “Most likely D-Rob. Not sure on Nate.” Saturday's announcement confirmed Robinson's return; it did not announce a corresponding activation for Hobbs.
Kirk's move follows a knee injury sustained during Thursday's practice. San Francisco ruled him out on Friday, then placed him on injured reserve in their Saturday transaction notice. Asked on Friday whether Kirk would need surgery, Shanahan said the team was still deciding. The club has not given a return date in those updates.
San Francisco also elevated Hodge from the practice squad for the Raiders fixture. The separate move gives the team another receiver on its gameday roster while its wide receiver group is dealing with injuries. The club's announcement identifies the elevation as a standard gameday move, without assigning Hodge a starting role.
Friday's injury report and an earlier Kirk return
SportsRivo compared Friday's San Francisco injury update with Saturday's roster notice. Robinson moved from questionable to activated, while Kirk moved from ruled out for this game to injured reserve. The two announcements establish a change in roster status beyond the earlier practice designations.
The sequence is particularly abrupt for Kirk. San Francisco activated him from injured reserve before their Atlanta game in October, according to their earlier transaction notice. Friday's update says he made his season debut in that fixture, then sustained a meniscus injury in Thursday's practice. Saturday's transaction puts him back on the reserve list. Robinson, by contrast, had been sidelined since an ankle injury against Miami; the club opened his practice window this week before activating him.
Receiver options for the Raiders game
- Robinson is back on the active roster, and San Francisco has removed his questionable designation. His availability is confirmed by the club's transaction, while any role in the game is still prospective.
- Kirk is on injured reserve. Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel Sr. were also ruled out in Friday's injury report, leaving the receiving group without those three players against Las Vegas.
- Hodge has a standard gameday elevation from the practice squad. That adds a receiver option alongside Robinson without establishing how many snaps either player will take.
Las Vegas visit is next
San Francisco's fixture guide schedules the Raiders game at Levi's Stadium for 8 November at 1:25 p.m. Pacific time. The club said final gameday availability decisions would be announced before kick-off. The roster changes are confirmed; their effect on the passing game will be seen when the teams play.