SF’s Week 2 showcase in Las Vegas offered a sharper read on the 2025 roster hours ahead of Week 1 in Seattle. Purdy opened with a clean, efficient series, but the real spark came from Ricky Pearsall, who looked like a credible option at and beyond the top-three WR tier as the 49ers sort through Aiyuk, Jennings, and Robinson. Kicker Jake Moody recovered from a rocky first half to nail four attempts, including a 59-yarder in a pressure spot, sealing the tie after a late Raiders rally. Rookie Nick Martin piled up tackles and disruption, flashing the athleticism and instincts the 49ers hoped to unlock behind Dee Winters. San Francisco’s depth was on full display, with Carter Bradley directing the second unit and clearing a path for Purdy’s continued progression. The trio of Moody, Pearsall, and Martin provided a blueprint for fantasy managers: clean, high-leverage roles emerging from a crowded camp, while Purdy’s early connection with Pearsall hints at a deeper pass-game ceiling if health and trust solidify. Week 1 in Seattle is looming, and the 49ers sit a little taller, a little more dangerous, with standout depth ready to step in when called.

From a fantasy perspective, Pearsall’s early chemistry with Purdy should raise his Dynasty and best-ball profile as the WR depth chart remains fluid. Moody’s late-season-like clutch performance is a reminder that in-practice accuracy translates to game-action opportunity, albeit with the risk that SF’s kicking situation remains unsettled. Martin’s bounce-back performance underscores the value of edge and inside-linebacker depth on a defense known for rotating get-to-the-ball players. The game also underscored the value of a quarterback room that can survive a one-drive sampler and still leave the starter with ample prep time for Week 1. The blend of youth and veteran steadiness could push SF’s fantasy upside higher as the season approaches.

Chase Lucas shined in San Francisco’s preseason opener against Denver, stacking eight tackles, a pass breakup and a near interception while serving as the 49ers' nickel defender all night. His pressure on Bo Nix in the first quarter helped force an end-zone incomplete that became a safety, highlighting a nose-for-the-ball and relentless motor Kyle Shanahan called the Energizer Bunny. Lucas, a former Lions seventh-round pick who spent 2024 on the practice squad, is showing renewed form after inked a reserve/future deal in January. The showing fuels talk he could push for a spot on SF’s 53-man roster in 2025.

Lucas’ path includes a Lions’ selection in 2022 (18 games over two seasons, plus three postseason appearances) and a solid ASU career (53 games, 223 tackles, two sacks, six interceptions, 34 passes defensed, two FF, one FR). San Francisco kept him in the nickel package, and his versatility—able to contribute on defense and special teams—continues to intrigue observers as the 49ers reshape depth behind their top corners.

Shanahan’s praise captured Lucas’ impact: flying around, making plays, and earning driving reps in camp. The performance adds another datapoint about SF’s depth at corner and the potential of a late-blooming contributor carving out a role in a crowded, high-stakes roster decision this summer.

San Francisco rolled out a heavily reduced lineup in a lopsided preseason loss to Denver, underscoring how thin the roster remains when top players sit out or nurse injuries. The opening 71-yard drive for a score set the tone, and after that the 49ers managed just a safety and a handful of defensive stops in a game that exposed depth concerns across several spots. For fantasy managers, the night was less about the result and more about which players emerged as late-round, speculative adds who could carve out potential roles if injuries linger or depth is tested deeper into the slate.

Chase Lucas shined on the field for San Francisco, piling up eight tackles and a defensed pass, plus a well-timed pressure that helped force an incompletion. Marques Sigle, in his first pro game, produced seven tackles before missing most of the second half with a knee issue. Tatum Bethune, returning from an ankle tweak, logged six tackles as one of the few bright spots on a night of uncharacteristic tackling struggles. Corey Kiner offered a glimmer of offense with 45 yards on 10 carries and a two-yard catch, signaling possible depth at running back behind SF’s thinner-than-usual group. These performances matter because SF’s injury risk could thrust these players into bigger roles if the regulars remain sidelined.

The takeaway for fantasy and DFS: these standouts are deeper-league considerations at best, but the narratives they create—depth, health, and opportunity—could shape late-season rosters or DFS bargain picks if SF continues to lean on reserve pieces in the upcoming exhibitions. The Bronco-friendly environment of this game amplifies the value of March-through-August observations, reminding fantasy players to monitor practice notes and rosters closely as Week 1 approaches.

Preseason Week 1 left the 49ers with more questions than certainties as a 30-9 loss to Denver exposed offensive inconsistencies and roster battles. Mac Jones settled into the pocket, carving out a rhythm early, including a sequence that flashed a potential chemistry with Demarcus Robinson on SF’s first snap and a deep drop-in-stride connection to Jordan Watkins on a 50-yard gain that jump-started field-position talk. Patrick Taylor’s early touchdown showed vision and patience, while the defense, led by Chase Lucas and a swarm of reserves, forced key moments like a safety and multiple breakups that raised hopes for depth.

In the second half, the 49ers’ depth chart battles heated up. Dallis Flowers and Darrell Luter Jr. peppered Broncos drives with stops and a pass breakup, and Jake Tonges continued to push Brayden Willis in a tight roster race at receiver/TE. Undrafted Corey Kiner flashed in limited work, while Jake Tonges and Junior Bergen offered field-position and special-teams intrigue. The offense stalled, Ty Mordecai’s bootleg miscues and interceptions lingered, but the overall tone was clear: depth will shape the final cuts, and Jones’ stride toward a Week 1 role remains a storyline to watch as SF tidies up the sloppy moments.

The notes suggest the 49ers must clean up protection, quarterback decision-making, and edge-pressure adaptability, yet there are bright spots in Watkins’ burst, Robinson’s early continuity, and Lucas’s versatility. With underclassmen stepping up, SF hopes the preseason ailerons align with regular-season needs, balancing veteran glue with young playmakers as the roster tightens toward September. Denver’s own drive-ability showed some spark, but miscues and coverage lapses gave SF chances that slipped away in the box score. The next tune-up should sharpen the timing, and the depth chart battles will define who fills critical roles when the games count.

Shilo Sanders grabbed attention for Tampa Bay as he battles for a roster spot, delivering a hard hit that underscored his special-teams and depth-chart potential. Gardner Minshew reclaimed the spotlight as Kansas City’s QB2, continuing his winding path through several NFL stops. Bo Nix faced fast, disruptive pressure from San Francisco, with a grounding penalty illustrating the learning curve for a young passer in the 49ers’ scheme.

The Titans leaned on their rookie QB Ward, who led an 11-play, 65-yard drive but was ultimately pulled after two series, a glimpse into the team’s QB competition dynamics. Jaguars kicker Cam Little unleashed a 70-yard boot, a preseason outlier that nonetheless signals explosive leg talent. On offense, Trevor Lawrence found early rhythm with two-receiver targets and Jaguars’ multi-faceted usage, while Chase Lucas starred in coverage for San Francisco, flashing the kind of ball skills coaches crave for a flexible secondary.

Overall, the preseason narrative stitched together rookie breakthroughs, veteran depth, and special-teams fireworks, outlining early fantasy implications across multiple teams as coaches rotate players and test deeper roles ahead of Week 1.