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49ers LB Patrick Willis (toe) placed on injured reserve



The 49ers announced this week that linebacker Patrick Willis will be placed on season-ending injured reserve due to a toe injury suffered in Week 6. The team captain and seven-time Pro Bowler was replaced by rookie LB Chris Borland. Borland has played well since stepping in for the injured veteran, recording 43 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery the past three games. Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USJAX-NONE /* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}



Borland, who is leading the NFL with tackles since taking over for Willis, will get a boost in productivity this weekend as LB Aldon Smith has been reinstated from his nine-game suspension. The loss of Willis hurts the team from a leadership standpoint, but with Borland covering the inside and the return of Smith to the outside, the defense should return to form. Both Borland and Smith should be considered LB1s moving forward in IDP leagues. Normal0falsefalsefalseEN-USJAX-NONE /* Style Definitions */table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}