49ers WR Emmanuel Sanders aims to play Sunday against Cardinals despite rib injury

49ers receiver Emmanuel Sanders’ painful rib injury improved as the week went on and he’ll try to play Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

“It’s getting better and better,” Sanders said Friday.

Sanders is officially listed as “questionable” and will be a game-time decision despite not practicing this week. His return would be important given the team is unlikely to have star tight end George Kittle for the second straight game while he continues to work back from knee and ankle injuries.

Sanders sustained the injury in the first quarter of the Monday night loss to the Seahawks on 12-yard catch that set up the team’s only offensive touchdown. His absence proved to be crucial in the overtime defeat as the receiving corps struggled with drops.

Sanders said he dealt with a similar rib cartilage issue in December of 2012 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, though he was able to play through it. In three games since coming to San Francisco, Sanders has 13 catches on 18 targets for 161 yards. He recorded seven catches for 112 yards two weeks ago against Arizona.

“It looks like he’s walking around better, sitting in the meetings better,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.

Kittle was listed as “doubtful” to play Sunday, but Shanahan has been reluctant to rule him out given his history of playing through injuries. Shanahan said the team has to be sure to protect Kittle from himself when it comes to his return.

“He played through the game two weeks ago with the same deal, so that’s why he’s a guy that you never count out,” Shanahan said. “We’re trying to be smart with him, though. We’ll see how the other people are doing going up to kickoff. He played two weeks ago with this, so it is always a possibility, but that’s why we’ve got him as doubtful.”

Kittle returns to practice field

Kittle was on the practice field Friday doing light conditioning and rehab for the first time since sustaining the injury Oct. 31 in Arizona.

Shanahan shed light on the finger injury to Joe Staley that is expected to cost him two games. The Pro-Bowl left tackle had surgery this week to repair a fractured and dislocated ring finger that may have been permanently damaged if he didn’t have a procedure.

“When you do have a certain type of dislocation or fracture that you can’t pop back in, if that stays out for 10 days without surgery then it will stay out for life, it just forms that way and then you can’t move it and function with it,” Shanahan said.

“If he tried to just tough it out and play with this, in about six days from now he wouldn’t be able to move his finger again. He can get the surgery, fix it, hopefully it’ll be just two games.”

Rookie Justin Skule will be back at left tackle replacing Staley after he was inactive Monday when Staley returned to the lineup for the first time since Week 2 with his fractured fibula.

The only other player to be officially ruled out for Sunday was nose tackle D.J. Jones, who is dealing with a groin injury he sustained while trying to run down Russell Wilson outside the pocket on a passing play Monday. Jones will be missed as a run defender in the middle of the defensive line. He also logged sacks in back to back games before the injury.

Running back Matt Breida (ankle) and kicker Robbie Gould (quadriceps) were tabbed “doubtful” for Sunday. Shanahan indicated on KNBR radio Friday morning that Breida may need a week or two off to give his ankle a break so he can be healthy for the stretch run.

Gould’s absence would mean another game for rookie kicker Chase McLaughlin, who went 3-for-4 Monday, including his badly missed 47-yard kick in overtime that could have won the game for San Francisco.

Shanahan said the team still has confidence in McLaughlin and has liked his demeanor despite the crucial miss.

“I just told him how much faith we have in him,” Shanahan said. “I mean, I don’t know him very well, he’s been here for a week. Watching him at practice you can see how talented he is and why he deserves to be there, but you never know until someone gets in a game how they’re going to handle the pressure. Those first three kicks he kicked were as confident of three kicks as I’ve seen someone have.”

Other players listed as “questionable” for Sunday include: linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (concussion), running back Raheem Mostert (knee), receiver Dante Pettis (back), and cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (foot, quadricep). Witherspoon hasn’t played since Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For the Cardinals, defensive end Jonathan Bullard (foot) and running Chase Edmonds (hamstring) were ruled out. Questionable are cornerback Tramaine Brock (hamstring), defensive end Zach Kerr (knee), tackle Justin Murray (knee), and pass rusher Terrell Suggs (hamstring, back).