Trey Lance’s Bay Area return framed a 30-23 Chargers loss to the 49ers as the backup QB battle in Los Angeles remains unsettled. Lance showed flashes of his athleticism but his 5-for-8 for 38 yards produced three punts and no memorable scoring drive against SF’s reserve-heavy defense. San Francisco’s offense relied on patchwork units, Moody’s shaky accuracy sparked kicking chatter, and Demarcus Robinson and Terique Owens flashed as big-play threats for the Niners. Fantasy takeaway: Lance’s path behind Herbert stays thin but real, while SF’s kicking and WR depth create late-summer questions for fantasy rosters.

Herbert’s hold on the top spot is clear, but the Chargers’ hang-time behind him—via Heinicke’s two-drive cameo—keeps a narrow lane open for a mobile QB in mop-up situations. SF’s QB depth charts emphasize Purdy and Darnold; Lance’s night underscores how every preseason outing can tilt roster decisions and Week 1 plans. For fantasy players, monitor Chargers’ practice reports and SF’s kicking competition as August narrows into the regular season.