Raiders face a 49ers team missing all three starting receivers but with Nick Bosa back

The Raiders will land in Santa Clara on Sunday to face a San Francisco team whose top three receivers are all ruled out and whose best defensive player is back for the first time since Week 2. Both of those things showed up on the same Friday injury report, and only one of them helps Las Vegas.

The 49ers ruled out Mike Evans (Achilles, ribs), Christian Kirk (knee) and Deebo Samuel Sr. (hamstring), the whole top of their receiver room. Then they cleared the two players who actually decide games. Bosa practiced in full with no game designation after being sidelined since Week 2 with knee and calf problems, and head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters he is "cleared to go," per the team's own release. Christian McCaffrey also went full Friday after a hamstring strain picked up in Week 7 at Atlanta.

Kirk's injury is the one with a tail on it. Shanahan said he hurt a meniscus at Thursday's practice and that the team has not decided on surgery. Behind the three men who are out, Demarcus Robinson (ankle) and Nate Hobbs (adductor) are questionable and both sit on injured reserve, with Shanahan pointing to Robinson as the likelier activation. 49ers Webzone expects that move Saturday.

Las Vegas, for once, filed a short report. Defensive tackle Thomas Booker is out with an ankle injury and cornerback Darien Porter is questionable with a groin issue. Wide receiver Dont'e Thornton practiced in full Friday with a back problem and carries no designation.

Here is the part Raider fans will not enjoy. San Francisco does not need receivers to beat this defense. The Raiders are 30th against the run at 146.4 yards a game and 31st in points allowed at 28.8, per the team's own game preview, and the 6-1 49ers rush for 127.4 a game with McCaffrey back and Brock Purdy under no obligation to throw it. Las Vegas can pass, ranking third at 265.1 yards a game, but ranks 31st running it, which is a bad profile for a team that will probably need to protect a lead.

Watch for Robinson's activation Saturday and for Porter, whose status gets settled about 90 minutes before the 1:25 p.m. PT kickoff at Levi's Stadium. If the Raiders cannot make a receiver-less offense punt, the problem was never the opponent's injury list.