Brock Purdy is drawing plenty of attention heading into Week 2, and ESPN’s read on the matchup is simple: the 49ers quarterback has a chance to pile up another big day.
After finishing the 2025 season with solid play and turning in a strong showing against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, Purdy now gets a Miami Dolphins defense that appears vulnerable. That combination has ESPN projecting a favorable setup for him once again.
Seth Walder and Jake Moody both laid out the case for Purdy in ESPN’s preview, and the biggest edge starts up front. Walder focused on San Francisco’s protection, suggesting Purdy may not even be hit by a Miami defender, much less sacked.
The Dolphins do have some pass-rushing pieces, but the group does not inspire much fear. Chop Robinson is their top edge threat, yet his production dipped from six sacks as a rookie to four in his second NFL season.
Josh Uche is next on the list, and he has six sacks since 2023. Robert Beal is part of the depth, but he could not even stick on the 49ers roster.
Miami’s edge room is thin, and that matters against a line anchored by Trent Williams and Colton McKivitz, one of the NFL’s best tackle pairings.
Moody’s angle was more about what Purdy has around him. As ESPN’s fantasy expert, he sees the 49ers’ skill talent as another reason to like the quarterback this week. Purdy is in rhythm, and Miami’s secondary has holes.
There are also signs that the supporting cast could keep opening things up. Mike Evans was put back in the garage in Week 1 after a strong first half.
He could produce more. The emergence of Kaelon Black has actually made Christian McCaffrey more dangerous as a pass catcher.
George Kittle is another factor. He looked rusty in Week 1, but he should keep working his way back into game shape, and Miami looks like a good opponent for him to shake off that rust. Put it all together, and it’s easy to see why ESPN is so high on Purdy this week.
In Other News...
Kaepernick Just Reopened A 49ers Era Story Fans Will Remember
Colin Kaepernick is back in the conversation with a new memoir, The Perilous Fight, and the book has already started to reopen one of the most familiar chapters from his 49ers years. Released Sept. 15, the memoir leans into personal stories and reflection, including an anecdote about Taylor Swift and his adoptive mother, while also giving Kaepernick another platform to revisit the larger arc of his career and the fight that followed it.
On a podcast interview the next day, Kaepernick shifted from memoir mode to sharper criticism, taking aim at Patriots owner Robert Kraft over the removal of rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheerans tour. He used the moment to argue that NFL owners work together to protect their interests, while also revisiting his grievance against the league and how his view of owner cooperation has evolved. For 49ers fans, it is another reminder that Kaepernicks story remains as much about the leagues power structure as it is about the quarterback who once defined an era in San Francisco. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Avoid One Levi's Stadium Wrinkle Against The Dolphins
Week 2 brings a more comfortable setup for the 49ers at Levis Stadium, where theyll host the Dolphins under conditions that look far kinder than some of the early-season home games San Francisco has endured in recent years. Forecasts for kickoff call for 72 degrees, clear skies and light winds, the kind of afternoon that should let football, not the weather, drive the conversation.
For a team that has had to manage excessive heat in past daytime games at home, that matters more than it might seem on paper. The Dolphins arrive as a dangerous early test, but the 49ers at least appear set to avoid one of the more annoying variables that can turn a September game in Santa Clara into something closer to a survival exercise. [Read more 🡒]
Fred Warner Said What 49ers Fans Were Feeling About Dre Greenlaw
The 49ers defense wasted no time reminding the rest of the NFC why it still draws so much attention in Santa Clara. In Week 1 against the Rams, San Francisco held Los Angeles under 10 points, and the middle of that effort looked familiar again with Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw back side by side on the field. Warner led the way with 11 tackles, while Greenlaw added six in his return after spending a year with the Denver Broncos.
For 49ers fans, the reunion carried a little extra weight because it brought back a pairing that has long been tied to the identity of this defense. Warner sounded as energized as the crowd felt about seeing Greenlaw back in the mix, and the early result suggested the comfort level between the two has not gone anywhere. The bigger question now is how quickly that revived linebacker duo can help San Francisco settle in as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]