49ERS Dorsey will start in place of Rattay

The former Miami quarterback filled in during the Atlanta game.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) -- Quarterback Ken Dorsey is expected to make his first NFL start for the San Francisco 49ers after Tim Rattay was diagnosed with a separated right shoulder Monday.
Coach Dennis Erickson said Dorsey, a seventh-round draft pick from Miami (Fla.) in 2003, will start in New Orleans on Sunday unless Rattay's injury heals much more quickly than expected. The 49ers don't know how long Rattay will be hindered by the injury.
"He's ready for it," Erickson said of Dorsey. "We have a lot of confidence in him, or else we wouldn't do it. It doesn't have to do with anything other than Tim's health."
Getting hurt
Rattay was hurt while getting sacked by Atlanta's Rod Coleman in the second quarter of the 49ers' 21-19 loss to the Falcons last Sunday.
Dorsey took over and led two scoring drives in his first NFL action. But after Dorsey got a stinger in his right shoulder late in the third quarter, Rattay returned and led three lengthy drives, throwing two touchdown passes.
An MRI exam on Monday revealed a serious shoulder separation for Rattay, who struggled with a groin injury and a sore forearm during the offseason and training camp of his first year as the 49ers' starter.
"I was just getting over the groin [injury], and I got the forearm," Rattay said. "And then I was getting over the forearm, and I get this. I'm keeping those guys busy in [the training room]."
Their numbers
Rattay finished his fourth NFL start 18-of-31 for 175 yards, while Dorsey was 9-of-15 for 111 yards.
Rattay, who also felt "hazy" after Coleman's sack, believes he can get healthy enough to play Sunday.
"Hopefully I can practice at the end of the week, then shoot it up and go on Sunday," he said.
But Dorsey, who had shaken off his stinger on Monday, will work with the 49ers' first-team offense Wednesday.
"That's just football," Dorsey said. "I'll be ready to go."
Dorsey won a national championship and went 38-2 in four seasons as the starter in Miami, but he slid to the seventh round of the draft because of questions about his arm strength. But the 49ers have raved about the lanky quarterback since his arrival, and they promoted the Bay Area native to the backup job this summer after cutting Jeff Garcia.
Coach comfortable
Rattay's injuries allowed Dorsey to practice extensively with the first-teamers during training camp, giving Erickson plenty of confidence in his untested QB.
Erickson also said the 49ers don't anticipate trying to sign another quarterback. Rookie Cody Pickett is San Francisco's No. 3 quarterback, but the 49ers hope Rattay will be healthy enough to serve as Dorsey's backup in New Orleans.
Erickson has no idea how long Rattay could be sidelined, since it all depends on the quarterback's considerable tolerance for pain.
"It may be a couple of weeks before he can practice every day," Erickson said. "We'll find out as time goes on."