The San Francisco 49ers have dealt with significant roster setbacks this season due to injuries, and none has been more impactful than losing linebacker Fred Warner—one of the NFL's premier defensive players. Warner suffered a dislocated and fractured right ankle in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ending his season.

Or did it?


That's the question many 49ers fans are asking as the team pushes toward the postseason. Could Warner make a surprise return if San Francisco goes on a deep playoff run?

"I don't think so, but I haven't asked that," head coach Kyle Shanahan said late last month. "I'm sure it's (his recovery) going awesome. Fred works as hard as anyone on the planet, so it's going great."

While Shanahan and the 49ers aren't counting on a postseason comeback, one 49ers insider isn't ruling it out entirely—emphasizing that any chance hinges on how far the team advances.

"When I spoke to orthopedic surgeons about the timeline, they said 16 weeks was normal for athletes with Warner's injury, but that there were all sorts of variables — good and bad," Matt Barrows wrote in a recent mailbag for The Athletic. "Warner broke his ankle on Oct. 12, so the wild-card round (Jan. 10-12) would be 13 weeks since the injury."

Barrows even offered estimated odds of Warner returning by playoff round:



Clearly, things get a lot more interesting for Warner and the 49ers if they reach the NFC Championship Game. The linebacker's status will be a postseason storyline well worth watching.

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