Mac Jones Trending to Start Sunday Over Ailing Brock Purdy
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The San Francisco 49ers are quite the same but with Brock Purdy regressing health wise, the door appears still somewhat open for Mac Jones. Some have debated the talent part but the turf toe has made a significantly large impact on Purdy's 2025 season.
Purdy appeared to be getting better heading into Week 7 but concern and caution appear to be ruling the San Francisco decision making process. Let us dig into this issue that keeps on lingering.
More Brock Purdy Injury Impacts
The beginning of the season started with promise as Purdy led San Francisco to a close victory over the Seattle Seahawks. However, the toe and shoulder were issues. The big concern was the turf toe and Purdy missed three weeks.
He played and then the toe problems flared up again. Purdy missed a couple more weeks as a result. It appears things were getting promising. Naturally, this happened.
49ers QB Mac Jones is trending to start on Sunday as the team takes a cautious approach with Purdy, per @RapSheet pic.twitter.com/732Dru0EgP
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) October 16, 2025
Purdy was a limited participant on Wednesday and the toe is just not allowing him to plant the foot and throw properly. The quarterback has four touchdowns, four interceptions, and one fumble on the season with a 1-1 record.
Several members of the media have pointed out the obvious. Purdy took a risk playing against Jacksonville and that backfired. San Francisco does not want to take even more steps back if such a setback happened against Atlanta on Sunday.
Bluntly, Purdy is a starter and a solid play in fantasy football leagues when healthy. He is not healthy and it showed against the Jaguars in Week 4. San Francisco has too many players injured. Risking their starter, who they paid $53 million a year ($36.2 million AAV guaranteed), is a bit much over one game in the middle of an NFL season.
Along Came Mister Mister Jones
Mac Jones had a rough game against Tampa Bay. There is no question. However, despite some of his own issues, he still threw for 347 yards in the loss, The problem was the two interceptions and the fumble. George Kittle set to come off IR helps but is it enough? One of the more interesting things with San Francisco is this fact.
Christian McCaffrey's offensive snaps through 6 games: 355
— Kyle Posey (@KP_Show) October 16, 2025
Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Ricky Pearsall's offensive snaps through 6 games: 372
Somehow, the 49ers are 10th in schedule-adjusted offensive efficiency, with the 3rd-easiest remaining schedule of defenses.
If San Francisco can get just healthy enough. whomever steers the ship at Quarterback will be in solid shape. For Week 7 against Atlanta, Jones appears like he will be getting the ball. With the Falcons' defense stout against intermediate and longer passes, maybe the short pass and run games get going once again for the 49ers in this spot.
After all, Atlanta has not yielded more than 159 yards in any game this season. Jones will need Christian McCaffrey and Kittle to have any chance on Sunday. Besides, would anyone trust Purdy at less than 100% against a Front 7 and defensive unit like Atlanta? Exactly!
