The 49ers are heading into a season opener unlike any other, and the early projection on their offense starts with the obvious name at the top: Brock Purdy.
San Francisco is set to open the 2026 regular season against the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, and before training camp even gets rolling in Santa Clara, the picture of Kyle Shanahan’s first offense is already coming into focus. With no live practices to sort through yet, the clearest read is that Purdy remains the undisputed QB1 unless something unexpected happens medically.
From there, the spine of the offense looks familiar in some spots and very different in others. Christian McCaffrey is still the centerpiece at running back, while Kyle Juszczyk holds down the fullback role whenever the 49ers go to their trademark 21 personnel looks.
At tight end, George Kittle is the projected starter, with internal optimism said to be strong about his availability for early September. If Kittle is not ready for Week 1, Jake Tonges would be the next man up and could take on a major share of the workload after his strong 2025 campaign.
The biggest change is out wide, where Mike Evans is projected to headline a receiving group that would give Shanahan a kind of top-end talent the 49ers have not had under him before. Evans is expected to become Purdy’s preferred target on the boundary, and Ricky Pearsall would line up opposite him in two-receiver sets. Pearsall’s durability is still a factor, but his route running gives him a real edge when he’s on the field.
In 11 personnel, De'Zhaun Stribling gets the early nod in the slot. His run blocking and ability to threaten defenses vertically give him the inside track for volume when the offense spreads out. Christian Kirk, Demarcus Robinson, and Jordan Watkins are also in the mix and will be pressing for snaps.
Up front, Trent Williams is as close to automatic as it gets at left tackle. Robert Jones is projected to open at left guard, though Brett Toth, Connor Colby, and rookie Carver Willis are all still in the competition.
Jake Brendel is the expected center again after the team chose not to make a major move to replace him this offseason. Dominick Puni is set at right guard after an impressive rookie year interrupted by a knee issue, and Colton McKivitz remains locked in at right tackle as he pushes toward the organization’s 10-year wall.
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The issue is the same one that has followed this offense for stretches now: availability. The wide receiver room has changed, the veteran core comes with miles on it, and the 49ers are once again trying to balance star power with the reality that health can reshape a season fast. For all the confidence that comes with a loaded group, there is still a little uncertainty hanging over how often the full collection will actually be on the field together. [Read more 🡒]