49ers' C.J. Beathard: Confirmed as starter

Head coach Kyle Shanahan affirmed that "C.J.'s our guy" following the announcement that Jimmy Garoppolo (knee) will undergo season-ending surgery, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Beathard was already expected to start next week against the Chargers, and he will take over for the rest of the year after Garoppolo was diagnosed with a torn ACL. The 23-year-old will have big shoes to fill, but it is worth noting he was hand-picked by San Francisco's current regime in the 2017 draft as the quarterback of the future before the team acquired Garoppolo midseason. Beathard posted 1,430 passing yards (55 completion percentage) with four touchdowns and six interceptions while starting six games during his rookie campaign. The signal caller also displayed above-average athleticism with 136 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 26 attempts over that span. It wouldn't be surprising to see the sophomore build on last season's totals with an improved offensive line and an extra year in Shanahan's system under his belt, but he is certainly a downgrade in comparison to Garoppolo.