A week after knocking the rust off, it appears Aldon Smith will have a chance to knock a rookie around Sunday.

In his second game back from his nine-game suspension the 49ers outside linebacker will face Washington, which is expected to be without left tackle Trent Williams (sprained MCL). The two-time Pro Bowler was injured in last week’s 27-7 loss to Tampa Bay and missed his second straight practice today.

Williams’ replacement? That’s rookie Morgan Moses, a third-round pick from Virginia with zero career starts. Before Williams was injured in the first quarter Sunday, Moses had played six snaps in Washington’s first nine games.

In 69 snaps against the Buccaneers, Moses allowed a sack and a quarterback hit, but earned a positive (+1.4) pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. That suggests Moses has made strides since Washington coach Jay Gruden said he wasn’t quite ready for prime time in mid-October.

“He is still cooking in the oven a little bit, he is not ready to come out,” Gruden said, via the Washington Times. “When he is ready, he will be ready.”

For his part, Smith was ready for action in Sunday’s 16-10 win against the Giants, his first meaningful game since January. After sitting out the first quarter, he rarely left the game and had six quarterback hurries and two hits while playing 54 of 70 snaps.

Rookie outside linebacker Aaron Lynch also had a big game (sack, 7 hurries) against the Giants and he – and Ahmad Brooks? — could have a favorable matchup against Washington right tackle Tom Compton, a 2012 sixth-round pick who will be making his fourth career start. Compton allowed two sacks and five hurries against Tampa Bay last week.

Twitter: @Eric_Branch