The San Francisco 49ers are on track to get a major defensive reinforcement back on the field Sunday, as rookie defensive lineman Mykel Williams is expected to make his season debut against the Seattle Seahawks.
Williams, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, has spent the first four games of the 2026 season on the physically unable to perform list. San Francisco opened his practice window in late September, giving him a chance to work his way back to the active roster.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan offered an encouraging update on Williams during an appearance on KNBR this week.
“It's his second week back. He had a good week last week, even better week this week. So he should be good to go for Sunday,” Shanahan said.
General manager John Lynch
also expressed excitement about the defensive lineman’s anticipated return, pointing to the potential Williams showed before his injury.
“It's huge. He was the 11th pick in the draft for a reason. He's an extremely talented young man. He's extremely tough. He plays with great awareness,” Lynch said on KNBR.
Williams appeared in nine games as a rookie in 2025, recording 20 tackles, one sack and four quarterback hits before his season was cut short by a torn ACL. The Georgia product had shown promise, but his return gives San Francisco another young option along a defensive front that has dealt with injuries.
“He was just scratching the surface last year of what he can be,” Lynch said. “It's been a long time on the sidelines for him and he's eager to return.”
With Williams trending toward playing Sunday, San Francisco could receive a timely boost as it prepares for a divisional matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Williams only played in 39 defensive snaps in the 49ers' Week 1 win over the Seahawks in 2025 and missed the other two contests while recovering from his ACL injury.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers’ first-round pick expected to make 2026 debut vs. Seahawks
