San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas Raiders

Injuries noted

San Francisco 49ers: Isaac Guerendo (PUP-P) — Pectoral; Jordan James (Questionable) — James (ribs) will not play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Titans, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.; Brandon Aiyuk (Reserve-DNR) — Knee - ACL + MCL; Mike Evans (Questionable) — Evans (quadriceps) is not dressed in uniform for Thursday night's preseason opener against the Titans, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.; Christian Kirk (Questionable) — Kirk (calf) is not suited up for Thursday's preseason opener against the Titans, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.; George Kittle (PUP-P) — Kittle (Achilles) was seen running routes, catching passes and doing conditioning work prior to Monday's practice, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.; Vederian Lowe (Questionable) — Ankle; Nick Bosa (Questionable) — Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that Bosa has missed recent practices due to soreness/tendinitis in his right knee, and the pass rusher is considered week-to-week, Noah Furtado of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.; Keion White (Questionable) — Groin; Mykel Williams (PUP-P) — Knee - ACL; Malik Mustapha (Questionable) — Hamstring; Ricky Pearsall (IR) — Pearsall announced Thursday in a post on his personal Instagram account that he underwent season-ending surgery to repair the PCL in his right knee, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.; Tanner McLachlan (IR) — Undisclosed; Andrew Farmer II (IR) — Back; Darrick Forrest (IR) — Undisclosed; Kaelon Black (Questionable) — Black (thigh) will not play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Titans, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.; Jacob Cowing (Questionable) — Hip; Luke Gifford (Questionable) — Gifford did not practice Saturday due to a hamstring injury, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.; Romello Height (Questionable) — Elbow; Kyle Juszczyk (Questionable) — Finger; Mikail Kamara (IR) — Knee; Christian McCaffrey (Questionable) — McCaffrey (undisclosed) isn't participating in Tuesday's joint practice with the Titans, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.; Sam Okuayinonu (Questionable) — Ankle; Brett Toth (Questionable) — Toth (concussion) was absent from Thursday's training camp session, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.; KJ Henry (IR) — Henry (undisclosed) reverted to the 49ers' injured-reserve list Thursday, per the NFL's transaction log.; Nate Hobbs (Questionable) — Hobbs (groin) is projected to miss a few weeks due to injury, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.; Jack Jones (Questionable) — Jones (hand) is questionable to return to Thursday's preseason opener against the Titans, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.; Kurtis Rourke (Questionable) — Rourke (ribs) was discharged from the hospital Thursday night, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

Las Vegas Raiders: Chris Collier (IR) — Collier (undisclosed) reverted to injured reserve with the Raiders on Sunday, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.; Justin Shorter (IR) — Undisclosed; Corey Rucker (IR) — Undisclosed; Justin Pickett (IR) — Pickett (undisclosed) reverted to injured reserve with the Raiders on Thursday, Sam Warren of The Athletic reports.

QUARTERBACK

• Kirk Cousins starts at quarterback for LV

  6.4 Y/A

  Cousins is playing a compressed, low-ceiling passing game this season — a shade over 170 yards a game, sub-62% accuracy, nothing that threatens anybody vertically at a 6.4 average. The 10-to-5 touchdown mark says he's not the one giving games away, but he's sharing a field tonight with a 49ers passer in Purdy who beats him in every rate category. Cousins' only route to winning is keeping the possession count down, because he has no path to outscoring San Francisco in the open field.

• Brock Purdy starts at quarterback for SF

  7.63 Y/A

  Purdy plays like a finished, efficient product until the turnover column — nine games have already produced 10 interceptions, a worse rate than anyone else on this board carries. That's the tension in his line: real accuracy, real production per throw, but a giveaway habit that undercuts the case for him being fully in control out there. Kirk Cousins is running a much smaller operation across the field, so Purdy wins the talent matchup easily — the only question is whether he hands Las Vegas free possessions doing it.

• LV averages +0.85 yards every time it drops back

  0.85 Y/A

  SF is at 5.05 yards per pass attempt over 2 games; LV is at 5.9 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

• LV's passing game is +21 yards per game

  21 YPG

  SF is at 206.5 team passing yards per game over 2 games; LV is at 227.5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

TRENCHES

• LV gets +2 more yards a carry

  2 Y/C

  SF is at 3.55 yards per rush attempt over 2 games; LV is at 5.55 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

• LV is +16 rush yards per game

  16 YPG

  SF is at 115 rushing yards per game over 2 games; LV is at 131 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

PASS RUSH

• LV's rush gets home 0.5 more times per game

  0.5 SACKS

  SF is at 2 sacks recorded per game over 2 games; LV is at 2.5 over 2 games. Those come from the opposing team boxes in the games each side has already played this 2026 season, through 2026-08-26.

• SF's offense takes 0.5 fewer sacks per game

  0.5 SACKS

  SF is at 1 sacks taken per game over 2 games; LV is at 1.5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

PACE & SCRIPT

• SF is scoring +9 points per game

  9 PPG

  SF is at 27 points per game over 2 games; LV is at 18 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

• SF holds the ball 4:47 longer per game

  4:47 TOP

  SF is at 32:52 time of possession per game over 2 games; LV is at 28:05 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

• SF runs +11 more plays per game

  11 PLAYS

  SF is at 73 offensive plays per game over 2 games; LV is at 62 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

• SF's defense gives up 5.5 fewer points per game

  5.5 PPG

  SF is at 18 points allowed per game over 2 games; LV is at 23.5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

TURNOVERS

• LV commits 0.5 fewer turnovers per game

  0.5 TO

  SF is at 1 turnovers committed per game over 2 games; LV is at 0.5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

• LV throws 0.5 fewer picks per game

  0.5 INT

  SF is at 1 interceptions thrown per game over 2 games; LV is at 0.5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS

• LV owns a +1.35 yards-per-play gap

  1.35 Y/P

  SF is at 4.45 yards per play over 2 games; LV is at 5.8 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

RED ZONE

• SF holds red-zone trips to a score 25% less often

  25%

  SF is at 50% red-zone scoring allowed over 2 games; LV is at 75% over 2 games. Those come from the opposing team boxes in the games each side has already played this 2026 season, through 2026-08-26.

COACHING

• SF gives away 34.5 fewer penalty yards per game

  34.5 YDS

  SF is at 44.5 penalty yards per game over 2 games; LV is at 79 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

• SF's staff goes for it 1 more time per game on fourth down

  1 GOES

  SF is at 2.5 fourth-down attempts per game over 2 games; LV is at 1.5 over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

MISMATCH

• LV's explosiveness against SF's — 5.8 yards a snap to 4.45

  5.8 VS 4.45

  LV wins snap to snap with chunk gains instead of long grinding drives, and that shows up on early downs as much as anywhere else, putting SF behind the sticks before its defense can ever get comfortable. SF's only real counter is shrinking the game itself: control tempo, stay on schedule, keep LV's snap count as low as possible, because trading explosive plays with a unit built for exactly that is a losing approach. Play this out over a normal number of snaps and LV's per-play edge compounds into a real yardage gap by the fourth quarter.

COVERAGE

• SF gets off the field on third down 23.8% more often

  23.8%

  Getting stopped on third down more than three times out of four isn't a scheme trick — that takes a front finishing rushes and a secondary staying in phase snap after snap, even with backups rotating through. Las Vegas is letting almost half of its third downs move the chains, which means either the rush isn't getting home or the coverage is grabbing at routes once plays extend, and that's not the kind of thing that fixes itself overnight. San Francisco's pass rush is already dictating the down; Las Vegas is still bailing people out on the back end.

• SF's secondary gives up 40 fewer passing yards per game

  40 YPG

  SF is at 136.5 passing yards allowed per game over 2 games; LV is at 176.5 over 2 games. Those come from the opposing team boxes in the games each side has already played this 2026 season, through 2026-08-26.

REPLACEMENT

• Kurtis Rourke (QB) is questionable for SF

  QUESTIONABLE

  Nobody clears a guy for game snaps two weeks after pulling him out of a hospital bed for rib pain, so treat 'questionable' here as a formality on the way to a scratch. Every rep in that quarterback room tonight lands on whoever's next on the depth chart, and with roster cuts bearing down, that competition matters more than the exhibition score. It's entirely an offense-side story, decided well before kickoff.

• Jordan James (RB) is questionable for SF

  QUESTIONABLE

  James already sat out San Francisco's preseason opener with these ribs, and never getting upgraded off questionable since is the strongest signal here — teams move fast to clear a guy once he's actually ready. That keeps the backfield touches tonight with whoever's next in San Francisco's running back room, a group fighting for roster spots more than yards. Offense absorbs it again, and the pattern points to another night on the sideline.

• Mike Evans (WR) is questionable for SF

  QUESTIONABLE

  Evans wasn't even in uniform for San Francisco's preseason opener with this quad, and carrying the same tag into tonight without a practice update in between points to deliberate management, not a day-to-day guess. A receiver of his stature sitting again means tonight's targets funnel to the depth pieces still trying to make the roster. This is an offense-side story, and the caution here looks intentional, not incidental.

• Christian Kirk (WR) is questionable for SF

  QUESTIONABLE

  Kirk (calf) is not suited up for Thursday's preseason opener against the Titans, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports. Reported Aug 14.

SITUATIONAL

• SF (1-1) at LV (1-1)

  -29 PT GAP

  Both teams sit at 1-1 with a one-game winning streak, so the records read even — but the scoring margins split hard. San Francisco's plus-18 dwarfs Las Vegas's minus-11, and the 49ers already have a road win banked this preseason while the Raiders are still chasing their first win at home. The records say coin flip, the point splits say otherwise.

• SF converts fourth downs at a +26.7% clip

  26.7%

  SF is at 60% fourth-down conversion rate over 2 games; LV is at 33.3% over 2 games. Those are current-2026 team-game results through 2026-08-26.

FANTASY USAGE

• Christian McCaffrey: 24 opp/g in the 2025 baseline

  24 OPP/G

  Christian McCaffrey averaged 24 carries plus targets per game across 5 2025 regular-season games. BDL confirms Christian McCaffrey is currently active for SF; this is a labeled prior-season baseline, not current form. SF faces LV next; this is measured opportunity, not a projection or snap-share estimate.

• Ashton Jeanty: 20.8 opp/g in the 2025 baseline

  20.8 OPP/G

  Ashton Jeanty averaged 20.8 carries plus targets per game across 5 2025 regular-season games. BDL confirms Ashton Jeanty is currently active for LV; this is a labeled prior-season baseline, not current form. LV faces SF next; this is measured opportunity, not a projection or snap-share estimate.