49ers at Cowboys: Lamb’s form and Samuel’s return test two banged-up cornerback groups

CeeDee Lamb caught ten passes for 195 yards in Dallas’s win at Indianapolis. Next he faces a San Francisco defense with three cornerbacks listed as questionable. At the other end, Deebo Samuel has returned to full practice after missing three games, but Dallas has yet to settle the availability of DaRon Bland and Joey Porter Jr. Those decisions could reshape a matchup between offenses that each average more than 27 points a game.

• Competition: 2026 NFL regular season, Week 10.
• Matchup: San Francisco 49ers (7-1) at Dallas Cowboys (4-5).
• Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas; Dallas is the home team.
• Kickoff: Sunday, November 15, 3:25 p.m. CST in Arlington / 4:25 p.m. EST (21:25 UTC).

A comfortable win for San Francisco, a narrow escape for Dallas

The 49ers beat Las Vegas 38-17 after their bye week. Brock Purdy has thrown for 1,980 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. George Kittle has 483 receiving yards and five touchdowns; Christian McCaffrey has run for 457 yards and nine scores. The NFL game centre puts San Francisco at 29.4 points and 376.8 yards per game. A 7-1 record keeps the club atop the NFC West.

Dallas needed a late defensive play to hold off the Colts 27-23. Lamb supplied 195 receiving yards and a touchdown. Dak Prescott has 2,381 passing yards, 16 touchdown throws and five interceptions this season, while Javonte Williams has 629 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. The Cowboys score 27.3 points per game, but their 4-5 record leaves little room for another setback in the NFC East.

The win in Indianapolis also exposed a problem Dallas cannot afford to repeat. The Cowboys were penalized 14 times for 153 yards and lost two fumbles, according to the club’s recap. Giving away that much field position or possession would undercut the work of Lamb and Prescott against a team fresh from a 21-point win.

Who can cover whom?

San Francisco has ruled out receiver Mike Evans with an Achilles injury. Samuel, who missed the previous three games with a hamstring problem, practiced fully Friday and has no final game designation. Coach Kyle Shanahan also said recent arrival Keenan Allen would have a role in Dallas as he learns the offense. Neither development establishes how many snaps either receiver will play; Sunday’s active list will provide the next answer.

Dallas lists Bland and Porter as questionable with ankle issues; Porter is also carrying a foot problem. If either misses out, the Cowboys may have to adjust their coverage of Samuel, Kittle and San Francisco’s other targets. The 49ers have their own uncertainty: Renardo Green, Deommodore Lenoir and Upton Stout are all questionable. Lamb arrives after his largest receiving total of the season, and George Pickens is available again according to Dallas’s final report. How the 49ers cover that pair depends on their personnel and the help they can provide elsewhere in the defense.

Protection could be just as consequential. Left tackle Trent Williams missed Friday’s practice with a shoulder injury and is questionable; Dallas has Quinnen Williams on the interior of its defensive line. Purdy’s protection would need to adjust if Trent cannot play. Dallas, meanwhile, will be without tight end Jake Ferguson because of knee and ankle injuries and running back Tyler Goodson because of ankle and knee problems. Their absences narrow Prescott’s short-passing options and the backfield rotation behind Javonte Williams.

Injury and availability report

Official designations as of Friday, November 13. The teams’ game-day active lists are still to come.

San Francisco 49ers

• Mike Evans: out — Achilles.
• Renardo Green: questionable — back.
• Deommodore Lenoir: questionable — foot.
• Upton Stout: questionable — shoulder and neck.
• Trent Williams: questionable — shoulder; did not practice Friday.
• Dre Greenlaw: questionable — knee.
• C.J. West: questionable — knee; would need to be activated from injured reserve to play.
• Nate Hobbs: questionable — groin; would also need activation from injured reserve.
• Deebo Samuel: practiced fully Friday and has no final game designation after a three-game absence.

Dallas Cowboys

• Donovan Ezeiruaku: out — ankle.
• Jake Ferguson: out — knee and ankle.
• Tyler Goodson: out — ankle and knee.
• P.J. Locke: out — concussion.
• Jonathan Mingo: out — ankle.
• Juanyeh Thomas: doubtful — hamstring.
• DaRon Bland: questionable — ankle.
• Joey Porter Jr.: questionable — ankle and foot.
• Alijah Clark: questionable — illness.
• Jonathan Bullard: questionable — calf.
• Devin Moore: questionable — hip.
• George Pickens, DeMarvion Overshown and KaVontae Turpin: full participants Friday with no final game designation; Dallas says all three are available to return.

How to watch 49ers at Cowboys

• Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington.
• Kickoff: Sunday, November 15, 4:25 p.m. EST / 1:25 p.m. PST in the United States.

United States

• TV: FOX in markets carrying this game; KTVU FOX 2 is the Bay Area affiliate named in the 49ers’ guide. The NFL also lists FOX Deportes for the matchup.
• Streaming: FOX One lists the game. NFL+ offers eligible local games on supported phones and tablets. Availability depends on location.

Australia

• Time: Monday, November 16, 8:25 a.m. AEDT in Sydney and Melbourne; 7:25 a.m. AEST in Brisbane.
• Streaming: NFL Game Pass on DAZN, linked for this matchup in San Francisco’s game guide. A separate Australian TV channel has not been confirmed for this game.

United Kingdom

• Time: Sunday, November 15, 9:25 p.m. GMT.
• TV: Sky Sports NFL lists this game live. The 49ers’ guide also names Channel 5.
• Streaming: NFL Game Pass on DAZN. Its published Week 10 live blackout list names Vikings–Packers and Rams–Cardinals, not this game; regional rights conditions still apply.

The game will reveal whether San Francisco can keep its attack moving if its protection changes, and whether Dallas can make full use of Lamb and the returning Pickens against a 49ers defense still waiting on several cornerbacks.