What happened: The San Francisco 49ers designated cornerback Nate Hobbs and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to return from injured reserve on Wednesday. Robinson had been sidelined since Sept. 26 with an ankle injury. Hobbs had been out since San Francisco placed him on injured reserve in August.

Why it matters: The 6-1 49ers reinforce their perimeter depth on both sides of the ball as they prepare for the second half of the season. Robinson provides an experienced target to a receiver corps navigating trade deadline discussions. Hobbs adds veteran depth to a secondary that has dealt with multiple defensive injuries.

What to watch: San Francisco has 21 days to activate either player to the 53-man roster, or they will revert to season-ending injured reserve.