The New York Giants (2-6) host the San Francisco 49ers (5-3) this Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in a game between two teams whose seasons have taken them to places they weren’t expecting.

Here are five storylines to follow before Sunday’s Week 9 kickoff.

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A long list of injuries on both sides

The Giants have had their share of injuries this season, as we all know, and the bumps and bruises have continued to mount as the weeks unravel here. But San Francisco has actually had just as many — or more — injuries than the Giants.

The Giants had 12 players listed on Wednesday’s injury report, while the Niners had 19, although three of them were listed as rest, or “vet days.” This does not include the players on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list or injured reserve (IR).

The Giants have lost several key players for the season, including wide receiver Malik Nabers and running back Cam Skattebo. Linebacker Micah McFadden has been out since Week 2, and his return date is still cloudy.

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The 49ers just put linebacker Fred Warner on IR, joining defensive end Nick Bosa. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) is still on PUP with no solid return date in place.

The post-Skattebo era begins

Rookie running back Cam Skattebo injected energy, life, and production into the Giants’ dormant offense in just a half-season. He’s out for the rest of the year after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated ankle this week.

The Giants will now turn to the players who comprised their running game last year, primarily Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary. Tracy had a solid rookie campaign in 2024, and Singletary is a reliable veteran who works well in a timeshare.

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“I think, however the opportunity presents itself, you have to take advantage of it,” Tracy said on Wednesday. “No matter what it is. Just like last year, when Motor (Singletary) got injured. It’s kind of the same thing. I’m going to go out there and do my job to the best of my ability. Whether I get the ball three times or if I get the ball 50 times. I’m going to go out there and try to execute my job, my responsibility, to the best that I can.

“Like I said, no matter what is going on. I want everyone to understand that when I hit that field, my energy, my passion, the way I handle myself, and just the way I approach the game, I want it to be felt. Whether you’re here at the game or watching it on TV. I want you to feel number 29 on the field for sure.”

Niners still uncertain at quarterback

The season began with Brock Purdy under center, fresh off a five-year, $265 million contract extension. He’s only been able to play two of the first eight games, however, due to a turf toe injury. In his absence, the 49ers have turned to Mac Jones at quarterback. Jones has played well enough to keep the Niners in the playoff hunt, but he himself is battling through a knee issue.

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Through it all, San Francisco has maintained the second-highest passing yards per game average in the NFL.

They would ideally like to get Purdy back this week and start to get some traction for the season’s second half. He practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday.

“He feels confident, and he is ready to go based off how his toe feels,” Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Wednesday. “He’s going to look that way most likely from getting out there. If he gets out there and is hobbling around and stuff, he won’t be out there.

“Last time we felt like he was feeling pretty good, looked pretty good in practice, and then in the game, one hit and set him back four weeks. So, it’s kind of a sensitive situation.”

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It’s all about Jaxson Dart

The Giants, at 2-6 and riddled with injuries, have a snowball’s chance in hell of qualifying for the postseason. Two percent, to be exact. But there is plenty of football still to be played. Nine games to be exact. The objective for the rest of the way is to develop rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and do it in a way that keeps him relatively safe.

The Giants would do Dart a great service if they could get him some more weapons before next week’s trading deadline. They’ve added veteran wide receiver Ray Ray McCloud to the practice squad and worked out a slew of free agents this week, but have yet to sign one of them.

Dart is preparing for whatever the rest of this season brings. He’s experiencing what it’s like to be part of a franchise stuck in a vicious cycle of losing and horrible luck.

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“I feel like I’ve had a lot of adversity just in my career. So, I’ve had to make strides when things didn’t really look the brightest in moments,” Dart told reporters this week.

“For me, losing hurts. It crushes us just because of the work that you put in and the expense that you put out there on the field. That’s just kind of how I’ve just played the game. I give it everything that I have, so it definitely sucks when some things don’t go your way. But I’m also very optimistic, and I see a bright future here. I just know that it’s going to take each rep, each game, and you’ve got to be able to just take advantage of those moments.”

Burns still not quite getting his due

Giants defensive end Brian Burns is tied for the NFL lead in sacks (10.0) and second in tackles for a loss (13.0). In addition, he has 38 tackles (25 solo), 14 quarterback hits, four passes defensed, and a forced fumble, yet he is not actively being mentioned league-wide in the race for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award.

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“I don’t want to think too much about that, but it would mean a lot to me,” Burns said this week.

Burns is currently seventh in the running, according to FOX Sports. Linebacker Micah Parsons, who was traded from Dallas to Green Bay earlier this season, is the clear frontrunner (+145). Cleveland defensive end Myles Garrett is next at +300. Burns’ odds are +3000 at the moment.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants vs. 49ers: 5 storylines to watch in Week 9