The San Francisco 49ers have played all season with key pieces missing. Five games in, the injury report has been longer than the active roster feels at times. The 5-0 record has been built on depth and resilience.

Monday night against the Washington Commanders, the 49ers will get one of those pieces back. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that fullback Kyle Juszczyk will play after missing last week’s win over Seattle with a knee injury.

The timeline of his return caught even Shanahan off guard.

Shanahan on Juszczyk’s Recovery

Juszczyk suffered a knee sprain and bone bruise in Week 4 against the Denver Broncos. The initial expectation was that he would miss two to three weeks.

“It looked bad at the beginning, and they said they thought it would be three weeks,” Shanahan said. “Juice has always been fast every time he’s ever been hurt, but this was really impressive.”

Juszczyk was limited in practice on Thursday before participating fully on Friday and Saturday. He carries no injury designation heading into Monday, meaning there is no question about his availability.

What the 49ers Are Still Missing

Juszczyk’s return is welcome news, but the injury report remains lengthy.

Nick Bosa has been ruled out again as he continues to work through his injury that has kept him sidelined since Week 3. Shanahan acknowledged that Bosa’s optimism last week was genuine but said the team wanted to make sure he was fully healthy before bringing him back.

Deebo Samuel is out with his hamstring strain. Mike Evans is listed as questionable after missing all three practices this week with Achilles soreness and his ongoing rib injury. Shanahan said they will know Evans’ status on Monday, though the veteran has suited up on game day before without practicing during the week.

On a more encouraging note, defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. is also set to return after missing time with a high ankle sprain. And the 49ers opened Christian Kirk’s practice window this week, with Shanahan saying he could possibly play Monday.

Final Word for the 49ers

Juszczyk is back. His recovery was faster than anyone expected.

The 49ers are 5-0 without being whole. Getting bodies back, even one at a time, changes what this roster can do. Monday night is next.