SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Brandon Jacobs balanced himself on crutches walking through the San Francisco 49ers' locker room. LaMichael James strolled through with a backpack and a smile.
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What at first looked like at least one -- if not two -- long-term injuries for the 49ers' newest running backs in Saturday's 20-9 preseason loss at the Houston Texans suddenly doesn't seem so bad.
Coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday that Jacobs' left knee could be healthy enough for him to start the regular-season opener for the 49ers at the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 9.
"I'm doing all right," Jacobs said as he walked by reporters. "Can't complain."
Neither can anybody else on San Francisco's side.
Texans cornerback Kareem Jackson barreled helmet-first into Jacobs' knee for a tackle in the first quarter Saturday. The big, burly Jacobs -- a two-time Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants -- rolled over, his knee bent awkwardly and he lay on the ground for more than a minute until Harbaugh helped him hop off the field unable to put weight on his left knee.
"Brandon for the opener is possible," Harbaugh said. "Again, we just have to see how the treatment goes, how the body responds."
While Jacobs hobbled around slowly at the 49ers' sunny Silicon Valley headquarters, that's about the best he and the team could have hoped for given what was first feared.
"Brandon is good," said his teammate Frank Gore. "I'm happy that it wasn't that serious. He'll be back in a week or two. He'll be fine."
James, the 49ers' second-round draft pick out of Oregon, said he's ready to practice already after injuring his left ankle and riding a cart off the field in the fourth quarter at Houston. James' left ankle remained planted when 49ers tackle Derek Hall fell on him while the running back was blocking in the fourth quarter. He rode on a cart off the field.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press