SANTA CLARA -- Veteran guard Mike Person will be back in the 49ers' starting lineup for their Saturday divisional-round playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area.
The 49ers were uncertain about defensive end Dee Ford's status before declaring him active before the game. The 49ers did not plan on taking the risk of playing Ford if he was experiencing any tightness in his hamstring, a source said.
Person missed the 49ers' final two regular-season games while battling a neck condition. First-year pro Daniel Brunskill started and played every snap at right guard while Person was out of the lineup.
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Coach Kyle Shanahan informed Person earlier in the week that he will start, a source said. It will be the 31-year-old, nine-year NFL veteran's first playoff start. In two seasons with the 49ers, he has started all 30 games in which he appeared.
Ahkello Witherspoon also will start at right cornerback, the source confirmed. Witherspoon, who was benched before the 49ers’ final drive of their Week 17 game against the Seattle Seahawks, earlier this week said he would start against the Vikings.
Witherspoon started eight of the 10 games in which he appeared during the regular season. He missed six weeks early in the season with a foot sprain.
Emmanuel Moseley replaced Witherspoon in Seattle for the final drive, which ended with linebacker Dre Greenlaw making a fourth-down tackle inside the 1-yard line to secure the NFC West title-clinching victory.
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The 49ers earned home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a 13-3 regular-season record.
Although Person and Witherspoon will start, the source indicated that the 49ers have such confidence in Brunskill and Moseley that there would be no hesitancy to make a change at either of those positions during the course of the game.
