NFL Week 7: 49ers vs. Buccaneers at a glance

• Opponent: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Time: 1:05 p.m.
• Line: Pick ’em
• Records: 49ers 1-5, Buccaneers 2-3
• TV/radio: Ch. 40 (Chris Myers, Ronde Barber), 680, 1320

With Carlos Hyde sidelined by a shoulder injury, how well will the 49ers run the ball? Backup Mike Davis, who has 10 carries this season, will start and handle most of the workload. Until he broke loose in Week 17 in 2015, Davis was in danger of making history by averaging less than 1 yard per carry. He’s slimmer and quicker this year, and he looked sharp in the preseason. He’ll have to do much better than his 1.8 yards-per-carry average to be effective against the Bucs.

No 49ers defensive position has been as conspicuous this season as inside linebacker, especially after NaVorro Bowman was lost for the season in Week 4. Gerald Hodges started through the Week 3 blowout loss in Seattle – the one in which some players were misaligned early in the game – and has played scant snaps since. He’s bigger and more athletic than any other linebacker on the roster, but he needs more seasoning.

Perhaps Colin Kaepernick’s greatest accomplishment in last Sunday’s loss against the Bills was getting veteran wide receiver Torrey Smith – under-used for most of the season – and the 49ers’ deep passing game involved. But the 49ers’ offense must be more consistent, especially coming out of halftime when San Francisco has struggled to score. Some of Kaepernick’s miscues against the Bills can be dismissed as rust – not to mention the windy conditions in Buffalo – after having missed so much time. Those excuses won’t be available much longer.

MATT BARROWS

• Out: DE Robert Ayers (ankle), RB Doug Martin (hamstring), DT Clinton McDonald (hamstring).
• Questionable: CB Jude Adjei-Barimah (knee), C Joe Hawley (knee), DT Gerald McCoy (calf), WR Cecil Shorts (hamstring), TE Luke Stocker (ankle).

• Out: RB Carlos Hyde (shoulder).
• Questionable: DT Glenn Dorsey (knee), CB Rashard Robinson (concussion), WR Torrey Smith (back).