The San Francisco 49ers are sending 8 players to the Pro Bowl.  The Niners are sending four defensive players, 2 offensive players and 2 special teams players to Hawaii.  26-year old LB Patrick Willis is a beast in the middle of the Niners’ D.  He has played in 12 games so far this year for the 49ers and he has 93 tackles, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for a loss, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 12 passes defensed and 1 interception.  32-year old DE Justin Smith has played in 15 games for the Niners so far this year and he has 55 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 2 tackles for a loss, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 2 passes defensed.  30-year old CB Carlos Rogers definitely deserves this honor as he has played out of his mind so far this year.  Rogers has played in 15 games for the Niners so far this year and he has 39 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 18 passes defensed and 6 interceptions (one returned for a TD).  27-year old safety Dashon Goldson will be the only reserve out of the Niners’ four defensive players going to the Pro Bowl.  He has played in 13 games for the 49ers so far this year and he has 64 tackles, 8 passes defensed, 6 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery and 1 tackle for a loss.

28-year old RB Frank Gore and 27-year old OT Joe Staley will be the offensive players making a trip to Hawaii.  Gore has played in 15 games for the 49ers so far this year and he has carried the ball 275 times for 1,202 yards (4.4 ypc) with 8 TD runs.  He has also caught 17 passes for 114 yards (6.7 avg) in this game.  Staley has played in 15 games (all starts) for the Niners this year.

37-year old kicker David Akers has played in 15 games for the Niners this year and he has connected on 42 of 49 field goals (85.7%), including 9 made kicks of 50 yards or more.  He also has connected on all 30 of his extra points as he has scored 156 points so far this year.  29-year old punter Andy Lee has played in all 15 games for the 49ers so far this year and he has punted the ball 73 times for 3,686 yards (50.5 avg).  He only has 8 touchbacks (11%) and he has played the ball inside the opposing 20-yard line 26 times (35.6%).

The 49ers have signed 26-year old WR Brett Swain.  Swain played in all 16 games for the Packers last year and he caught 6 passes for 72 yards (12.0 avg).  He also had 3 tackles last year.  Swain has now played in 22 games in his first two years in the NFL and he has caught 6 passes for 72 yards (12.0 avg).  He also has six tackles in his career.  Swain will help the Niners on special teams and give them depth at WR going forward.

The San Francisco might be without 26-year old WR Josh Morgan for the rest of the season as he broke his leg in garbage time against the Buccaneers last Sunday.  Morgan has played in 5 games for the Niners this year and he has caught 15 passes for 220 yards (14.7 avg) with 1 TD grab.  The Niners are hoping that 26-year old Ted Ginn will step up and into the starting lineup.  Ginn has played in all 5 games for the Niners so far this year and he has caught 4 passes for 38 yards (9.5 avg).  Ginn has also carried the ball 2 times for 24 yards (12.0 ypc) so far this year.  This is going to put a lot on Ted Ginn’s plate as he has been awesome as the punt and kickoff return man so far this year for the 49ers.  Ginn has returned 9 kickoffs for 309 yards (34.3 avg) with 1 TD return and he has also returned 17 punts for 201 yards (11.8 avg) with 1 TD return so far this year for the Niners.

UPDATE:  (10/13/2011) – The 49ers have placed Josh Morgan on the Injured Reserve List ending his season.

23-year old CB Tramaine Brock is out indefinitely due to surgery he has had this week to repair a broken right hand.  Brock has played in all 4 games for the Niners this year and he has 4 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 passes defensed.  He has now played in 7 games in his first two years with the 49ers and he has 8 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 passes defensed.  This injury hurts the secondary depth and the special teams of the Niners, so they hope Brock can return sooner rather than later.

28-year old RB Frank Gore is iffy for next weeks game with the Eagles due to an ankle injury.  Gore has gotten off to a rough start this year for the Niners.  He has played in all 3 games this year and he has carried the ball 59 times for 148 yards (2.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He has also caught 6 passes for 36 yards (6.0 avg) so far this year.  If Gore can’t go against the Eagles, rookie 23-year old Kendall Hunter would likely be the featured back.  He has played in all 3 games so far this year and he has carried the ball 11 times for 30 yards (2.7 ypc) with 1 TD run and he has also caught 2 passes for 12 yards (6.0 avg).  24-year old Anthony Dixon would also see a positive bump in P.T.  He has played in all 3 games for the Niners so far this year and he has 1 carry for 6 yards.  The 49ers will need all hands on the deck to beat the desperate Eagles, so they hope that Gore is ready to go next Sunday.

The 49ers have lost 28-year old WR Braylon Edwards likely for multiple weeks as he had surgery today to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.  This is a big blow to the 49ers as Edwards was expected to be the #1 WR in 2011.  He has played in both of the games so far this year for the 49ers and he has caught 4 passes for 48 yards (12.0 avg).  The Niners hope that Edwards is a quick healer because they really need him.

The 49ers have signed 32-year old TE Justin Peelle.  Peelle played in 13 games for the Falcons last year and he caught 10 passes for 96 yards (9.6 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played in 137 games in his first 9 years in the NFL and he caught 122 passes for 984 yards (8.1 avg) with 12 TD grabs.  Peelle will help out with the running game for the Niners as he is a good run blocker and a so-so receiver.

The Niners have claimed 24-year old undrafted rookie Scott Tolzien off waivers from the Chargers.  Tolzien played in all 4 preseason games for the Chargers and he completed 25 of 40 passes (62.5%) for 302 yards with 1 TD pass and 1 INT (83.5 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 4 times for 24 yards (6.0 ypc).  Tolzien will be the 49ers’ #3 QB as the 2011 season begins.

The 49ers have released 26-year old WR Dominique Zeigler.  He played in 11 games (0 starts) for the Niners last year and he caught 9 passes for 98 yards (10.9 avg).  Zeigler played in 19 games (0 starts) in his two years with the Niners and he caught 14 passes for 195 yards (13.9 avg).  This is absolutely no loss to the 49ers.

The 49ers have finally found a taker for 23-year old safety Taylor Mays.  They have dealt Mays to the Cincinnati Bengals for an undisclosed late round draft pick.  Mays played in all 16 games as a rookie for the 49ers last year and he had 38 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 2 passes defensed and 1 tackle for a loss.  This is addition by subtraction as Mays has been a pain in the butt for whoever has been coaching the Niners.