Top rookies inactive for 49ers

SAN FRANCISCO -- The 49ers first two draft picks, A.J. Jenkins and LaMichael James, were among the 49ers' seven declared inactive players for Sunday night's game against the Detroit Lions.As expected, running back Brandon Jacobs (left knee) and receiverreturn man Ted Ginn were among the 49ers' seven inactive players. Jacobs and Ginn were also inactive for the Week 1 game against Green Bay.Second-year quarterback Scott Tolzien will suit up for his first career NFL regular-season game. This is the first time the 49ers have activated three quarterbacks since the new rules regarding inactive players went into effect last year.One 49ers injury that deserves some mention is punter Andy Lee's thumb on his left hand. He declined comment on his injury, which he sustained a week ago when he tried unsuccessfully to tackle Green Bay's Randall Cobb.Lee is also the holder on David Akers' kicks, which explains why Tolzien is active for the game Sunday. Tolzien is the 49ers' emergency holder. He spent a lot of time during warmups holding. So the 49ers are taking no chances.
Lee might require a painkilling injection prior to the game, and his ability to catch long snaps from Brian Jennings might not be a sure thing. And that includes field goals and PATs, too.
So Tolzien is active, and the 49ers' draft picks in each of the first two rounds are sitting this one out. The only 49ers rookie who saw action in Week 1 was safety Trenton Robinson, chosen in the sixth round. He did not play on defense, but he saw 15 snaps on special teams. Jenkins was active for the opener, but he did not play.
When I asked coach Jim Harbaugh on Friday whether he considered it a luxury that the 49ers does not need the rookies to contribute immediately, he answered, "Well, we certainly feel like we need them, and they are coming along. The situation hasn't presented itself yet. But they're both coming."49ers inactives
WR A.J. Jenkins
WR Ted Ginn Jr.
RB LaMichael James
RB Brandon Jacobs
G Joe Looney
TE Garrett Celek
NT Ian WilliamsLions inactives
QB Kellen Moore
CB Chris Houston
S Louis Delmas
CB Bill Bentley
LB Travis Lewis
T Jason Fox
T Corey HilliardThe Lions will play Sunday without three-quarters of their starting defensive backfield. Drayton Florence starts at cornerback for Houston; Jacob Lacey starts at the other cornerback for Bentley; and John Wendling takes over at safety for Louis DelmasThe 49ers enter Sunday night's game with a streak of 26 regular-season quarters without committing a turnover. That is a 49ers record, and the team is four quarters shy of the NFL record record set by the New England Patriots (2010).Replacement referee Matt Nicks is assigned to Sunday's game. He most recently worked Mid-South Conference (NAIA) and Tennessee high school games. His crew called a combined nine penalties for 91 yards while working the Cincinnati-Baltimore game Monday night. Among the penalties called were a 20-yard pass interference call on Bengals cornerback Nate Clements in the end zone, and a 15-yard personal foul for Taylor Mays' helmet-to-helmet hit on Ravens tight end Ed Dickson. The NFL later fined Mays 21,000 for the illegal hit.