NY Jets inactives list for Week 1 game against 49ers (major surprise inactive)
By Justin Fried
The NY Jets are less than two hours away from kicking off their 2024 season in style on the road against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football. The wait is finally over. Jets football is back.
The Jets enter the 2024 season with hopes of breaking their 13-year postseason drought and making a run at the Super Bowl, and the expectation is that Aaron Rodgers is the player who could help guide them to the promised land.
But before the Jets get ahead of themselves, they first need to take care of business against a stacked 49ers team in Week 1. The Jets will be without backup offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer and linebacker Zaire Barnes, who were both placed on the injured reserve this weekend.
Who are the official inactives for both the Jets and the 49ers tonight? We've got you covered.
Full inactives list for NY Jets in Week 1
- RB Israel Abanikanda
- TE Brenden Bates
- CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
- OT Max Mitchell
- DT Leonard Taylor III
- OT Carter Warren
- DL Eric Watts
There aren't any real surprises with the Jets' inactive list for Week 1. Israel Abanikanda is an expected healthy scratch, as the Jets will roll with three running backs on the game-day roster.
Veteran Anthony Firkser was elevated from the practice squad and he will assume TE3 duties for tonight's game. Recent waiver-wire pickup Brenden Bates is inactive, likely due to his short time with the organization.
Cornerback Jarrick Bernard-Converse is inactive as the Jets elect to roll with five cornerbacks, including rookie Qwan'Tez Stiggers. Stiggers may have received the nod over Bernard-Converse due to his special-teams ability.
The Jets elevated defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes from the practice squad and he will be active tonight. That forces the Jets to sit two undrafted rookie defensive linemen, Eric Watts and Leonard Taylor III. Braiden McGregor is active for tonight's game.
Full inactives list for 49ers in Week 1
- DE Yetur Gross-Matos
- S Talanoa Hufanga
- RB Christian McCaffrey
- LB Dee Winters
- QB Joshua Dobbs
- CB Darrell Luter Jr.
- OL Ben Bartch
In what is considered a stunner, running back Christian McCaffrey is inactive for tonight's game with a calf/Achilles injury. McCaffrey told reporters this week that he would play and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would suit up. Jordan Mason figures to receive the bulk of the work with McCaffrey sidelined.
Four 49ers players have been ruled out due to injury in tonight's game, the other most notable being star safety Talanoa Hufanga. The 2022 first-team All-Pro suffered a torn ACL in November of last year and was listed as doubtful entering Week 1. He will be inactive to start the season.
Yetur Gross-Matos is another notable absence for San Francisco. The former Carolina Panthers second-round pick is entering his first season with the 49ers and is expected to be an important part of their pass-rush rotation. He has been ruled out with a knee injury.
Finally, backup linebacker Dee Winters is ruled out with an ankle injury. A sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Winters is a special-teams regular and top reserve in a 49ers linebacker room that is already without Dre Greenlaw.