49ers Role Players Get Opportunities to Shine After Multiple Week 16 Injuries

Week 17 might not mean a lot for the San Francisco 49ers. 

At 7-8, the 49ers have little to fight for aside from a .500 record and the pride associated with it. And it isn't as if San Francisco cares much about thwarting the Arizona Cardinals' slim hopes of climbing higher in the NFC playoff standings.

Combine this with the latest report from Fox Sports' Jay Glazer that the 49ers will part ways with head coach Jim Harbaugh no more than 48 hours following the team's final 2014 contest, and one might suspect that this contest will mean little more than a final shot for this incumbent roster.

It is a roster that suffered from plenty of attrition in Week 16 and beforehand.

Prior to their 38-35 overtime loss to the San Diego Chargers, the 49ers were forced to shift their roster to account for the losses of linebacker Chris Borland (ankle), wide receiver Stevie Johnson (knee), linebacker Ahmad Brooks (thumb), cornerback Tramaine Brock (hamstring) and defensive end Ray McDonald (released).

San Francisco will certainly add to that list following a flurry of injuries against San Diego.

Other injuries plagued the 49ers in their second-to-last game of the year. Pro Bowl safety Eric Reid was lost to a concussion. Offensive linemen Alex Boone, Marcus Martin and Mike Iupati missed time. Wide receivers Michael Crabtree (knee) and Brandon Lloyd (groin) also suffered injuries.

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Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area wrote about how this eventually affected San Francisco's in-game roster and what impact it might have in the 49ers' final contest with the Cardinals:

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The 49ers ended the game with a variety of backups and backup’s backups on defense and among the wide receivers. The 49ers have 16 players on injured reserve, and there might be a long list of players who will not be available next week for the season finale against Arizona.

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Regardless of who is at the helm of the franchise in 2015, one might expect San Francisco to take a vastly different approach with its active roster in this game with essentially nothing left to play for.

While the door may be closed on many players' seasons, an opportunity may open for a number of depth and role players looking to solidify their respective jobs next year.

There are role players and practice-squad additions who could see an increase in playing time in Week 17.

An example would be linebacker Chase Thomas, who was promoted to the 53-man roster once Borland landed on injured reserve, per Christian Gin of Examiner.com. Another is linebacker Desmond Bishop, who was signed to a one-year contract to alleviate some of the depth concerns at the position, per Maiocco.

Players like Thomas and Bishop won't likely be factoring into the 49ers' long-term plans. But a strong effort in this final game will help make the case for an increased role wherever that may be in 2015.

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There is also the case of backup-turned-starting-defensive-end Tony Jerod-Eddie. 

Jerod-Eddie suddenly found himself in a starting role once the team released McDonald after the veteran's alleged involvement in a sexual assault case following Week 15. Against the Chargers, Jerod-Eddie notched three tackles, one of which was for a loss, and two quarterback hits.

An exclusive-rights free agent after the season, Jerod-Eddie will campaign for a roster spot with the team in 2015.

The 49ers also have some other auditions for players who might wind up being larger cast members in the upcoming year.

Second-year pro Tank Carradine was listed behind Jerod-Eddie at the defensive end position. The talented collegiate pass-rusher has appeared in just eight games this season but could find himself earning more playing time in 2015 if his on-the-field efforts are enough to prompt his use.

Week 17 could be a prime opportunity for players like Carradine.

Other potential contributors include wide receivers Bruce Ellington and Quinton Patton.

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Ellington had the strongest offensive showing of his rookie year against San Diego. The speedy wideout notched both a receiving and a rushing touchdown during the contest before leaving with a hamstring injury. Prior to this game, Ellington was frequently used as merely the 49ers' return man.

Second-year pro Quinton Patton is another player who has been scantly used by San Francisco. He has appeared in just three games this season despite entering the year with hopes to be a bona fide contributor in the 49ers' receiving game.

Sadly, Patton's Week 16 efforts were highlighted by the overtime fumble that eventually led to the Chargers' game-winning field goal.

But San Francisco has plenty of questions at this position. Crabtree and Lloyd will be free agents in 2015, and it is entirely possible—perhaps likely—that neither will return to the 49ers, given their contractual situations and team needs.

With Johnson and Anquan Boldin penciled in as the 49ers' Nos. 1 and 2 receivers in 2015, the door will be open for both Ellington and Patton to solidify their future roles with strong showings against Arizona.

Another developing player worth watching is rookie cornerback Dontae Johnson.

Johnson has been forced into a regular role due to the elongated absence of Brock. Fellow cornerback Chris Culliver is a free agent after the year, which could potentially open the door for extended playing time for the talented yet raw rookie.

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Johnson is signed through 2017, so the 49ers might be willing to display more patience with their fourth-round draft pick.

While there will be plenty of starting players on the field against Arizona on Sunday, San Francisco will be wise to present opportunities for its younger, developing cast of players to showcase their skill sets and earn the right to be considered for increased future roles.

The 49ers will probably not roll out their strongest lineup in Week 17. But with the season all but lost, why would they do anything else?

This game should be about building for the future and solidifying the players around which the franchise can build.

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated. Contractual information courtesy of Spotrac.com.

Peter Panacy is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report, covering the San Francisco 49ers. Be sure to check out his entire archive on 49ers news, insight and analysis.

Follow him @PeterPanacy on Twitter.