SANTA CLARA — Quarterback Brock Purdy will return to the 49ers' starting lineup Sunday after missing one game with a right shoulder injury.
“The fact he’s going to play means he’s healthy,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday, shortly before the team departed for its Week 13 game at the Buffalo Bills.
Purdy went through his most extensive practice throwing session in two weeks and was listed as a full participant in practice.
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Although the 49ers listed him as questionable on the official injury report, the expectation is that Purdy will return to action Sunday at the Buffalo Bills.
"Right now, he's playing," Shanahan said.
Cornerback Charvarius Ward also will play Sunday after sitting out since the 49ers' Oct. 27 game against the Dallas Cowboys while he mourned the loss of his daughter, Amani Joy, who passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 28 just shy of her second birthday.
However, the 49ers closed the door on several other key players from appearing in Sunday’s game.
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Defensive end Nick Bosa, left tackle Trent Williams, left guard Aaron Banks, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott were all ruled out.
Bosa (hip/oblique) and Williams (ankle) will miss their second consecutive games, while Banks and Elliott have not progressed through the NFL’s return-to-play concussion protocol at a pace that would allow for them to play this weekend.
Lenoir played all but five of the 49ers’ defensive snaps last week in the team’s 38-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers. He sustained a deep bone bruise in his knee area when he banged his left knee against Packers wide receiver Bo Melton in the first quarter.
Purdy’s availability looked to be anything like a sure thing earlier in the week.
He took part in limited practice Thursday, the 49ers reported. One day earlier, he did not throw any passes during the warmup session that is open to the local media.
Purdy sustained a right shoulder injury on Nov. 17 when the 49ers played the Seattle Seahawks. He underwent an MRI examination the following day that did not reveal any significant damage.
When Purdy’s condition did not improve as expected — and he felt discomfort as he threw short passes last Thursday, he went in for another MRI. Again, the 49ers’ medical staff detected no reason for long-term concern.
If Purdy is declared healthy enough to play, the strength of his throwing arm may be tested with adverse weather conditions expected Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y., where the Bills play their home games at Highmark Stadium.
Quarterback Brandon Allen would have made his second consecutive start if Purdy was unable to play. In an indication that Allen was not taking first-team practice snaps in all the practices, he wore the multi-color jersey fashioned by players on Friday who earn recognition for his contributions on the scout team.
The 49ers opened the practice window for linebacker Dre Greenlaw this week after he sustained a torn Achilles in the Super Bowl. He will not be activated to play against the Bills.
49ers injury report
Out
DE Nick Bosa (hip/oblique)
LT Trent Williams (ankle)
LG Aaron Banks (concussion)
DT Jordan Elliott (concussion)
CB Deommodore Lenoir (knee)
LB Dre Greenlaw (Achilles)
Questionable
QB Brock Purdy (right shoulder)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee)
DT Kevin Givens (groin)
WR Chris Conley (knee)
CB Renardo Green (neck)
Bills injury report
Out
OL Dylan Grable (IR, groin)
TE Dalton Kincaid (knee)
Questionable
DT DeWayne Carter (wrist)
WR Keon Coleman (wrist)
LB Matt Milano (IR, biceps)
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