If Richard Sherman is healthy enough to play Sunday, he will start for the 49ers.
Coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Wednesday that Sherman will reclaim his spot in the lineup against the Los Angeles Rams as long as he's "back to himself" and "fully 100 percent."
"I'm glad we got him in a week before the break we had here, just so we could get him acclimated a little bit," Shanahan said Wednesday before practice.
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SIGN UP HERE "Didn't get to see him at all on the week off, so we're going to get out here in a little bit in the next hour and practice, and we'll see how this week goes. When Sherm’s ready to go, he'll be back to his spot, but [we're in] no hurry to do that. We’ve got a number of guys who have been playing well while he’s been out and we don't mind easing him back in either. That'll be decided how he looks in practice these next three days.”
Sherman returned to the practice field in Week 10, the last before the 49ers' bye. The cornerback said at the time he considered a return in Week 12 against the Rams to be a "worst-case scenario."
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An All-Pro last season, Sherman hasn't played since sustaining a strained calf in Week 1. Jason Verrett has emerged as a quality starter in Sherman's absence, while Emmanuel Moseley has locked down a regular starting role, too.
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Sherman's return should still provide a boost. Without him and dominant defensive lineman Nick Bosa, the 49ers are allowing 1.1 more yards per pass attempt this season than they did in 2019.