49ers Depth Chart Shakeup: Week 2 Preseason Winners & Losers
49ers 2026 Season Preview: Who’s Starting, Who’s New, and What to Watch
Published: August 20, 2026 | 9:10 PM ET
Team: San Francisco 49ers | Upcoming Game: Preseason Week 2 vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Quick Summary for Busy Fans
| What You Need to Know | Details |
|---|---|
| Starting QB | Brock Purdy (confirmed for preseason Week 2) |
| Key Rookies to Watch | WR De’Zhaun Stribling & RB Kaelon Black |
| Biggest Offseason Addition | WR Mike Evans (starting opposite Deebo Samuel) |
| Notable Absences (PUP List) | RB Isaac Guerendo, TE George Kittle, DL Mykel Williams |
| Injured Reserve | WR Ricky Pearsall, DL Andrew Farmer II, S Darrick Forrest, DL Mikail Kamara*, DL K.J. Henry |
ELI5 Translation: Think of this like a school yearbook photo — but for football. It shows who’s starting ("first string"), who’s the backup ("second string"), and who’s sitting out with injuries.
Breaking News: Purdy Gets the Nod
Head coach Kyle Shanahan announced after Tuesday’s practice (August 18) that Brock Purdy will start at quarterback against the Chargers in Preseason Week 2.
Shanahan said:
"Not all of them, but I expect a number of starters to play, unlike last week. I haven’t told them yet, but they’ll find out soon, but yeah, you guys will see a number out there."
What this means: Unlike Week 1 (where starters barely played), you’ll see actual starters on the field — including Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, and more.
Rookies Making Noise
Two 2026 NFL Draft picks are climbing the depth chart fast:
| Rookie | Position | Draft Status | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| De’Zhaun Stribling | Wide Receiver | 1st Round* | Listed as 2nd-string WR — could see real snaps |
| Kaelon Black | Running Back | 1st Round* | Listed as 2nd-string RB behind McCaffrey |
* Rookie = First-year player
*1st Round = Drafted in the first 32 picks (top talent)***
Both are expected to play in preseason AND regular season — rare for rookies!
Complete 2026 Depth Chart (Unofficial)
How to Read This:
- Bold = Projected Starter ("First String")
- (2nd), (3rd), (4th) = Backup Levels
- * = 2026 Rookie
- LT/LG/C/RG/RT = Offensive Line Positions (Left Tackle, Left Guard, Center, Right Guard, Right Tackle)
OFFENSE
Quarterbacks (QB)
| String | Player |
|---|---|
| 1st (Starter) | Brock Purdy |
| 2nd | Mac Jones |
| 3rd | Kurtis Rourke |
| 4th | Adrian Martinez |
Running Backs (RB)
| String | Players |
|---|---|
| 1st | Christian McCaffrey |
| 2nd | Jordan James • **Kaelon Black*** |
| 3rd | Patrick Taylor Jr. • Sincere McCormick |
| 4th | Khalil Herbert • Zamir White |
Note: McCaffrey is the clear RB1 (main guy). Black is already pushing for #2 role!
Wide Receivers (WR)
| String | Players |
|---|---|
| 1st (Starters) | Mike Evans • Demarcus Robinson • Deebo Samuel Sr. |
| 2nd | Christian Kirk • **De’Zhaun Stribling*** |
| 3rd | Jacob Cowing • Jordan Watkins |
| 4th | Malik Turner • **Will Pauling*** • Trenton Irwin |
| 5th | **Wesley Grimes*** • KhaDarel Hodge |
Big Deal: Mike Evans (6’5", 230 lbs, 6x Pro Bowler) joins Deebo Samuel — that’s a scary duo for defenses.
Tight Ends (TE)
| String | Players |
|---|---|
| 1st | Jake Tonges |
| 2nd | Luke Farrell • Brayden Willis |
| 3rd | Hayden Rucci |
| 4th | Josiah Deguara |
Missing: George Kittle (All-Pro TE) is on PUP List — not practicing yet.
Offensive Line (OL) — The "Bodyguards"
| Position | Starter | Backups |
|---|---|---|
| LT (Left Tackle) | Trent Williams | Vederian Lowe (2nd) • Enrique Cruz Jr.* (3rd) |
| LG (Left Guard) | Robert Jones | Carver Willis* (2nd) • Kion Smith (3rd) |
| C (Center) | Jake Brendel | Drake Nugent (2nd) • Brett Toth (3rd) • Doug Kramer Jr. (4th) |
| RG (Right Guard) | Dominick Puni | Connor Colby (2nd) |
| RT (Right Tackle) | Colton McKivitz | Austen Pleasants (2nd) • Brandon Parker (3rd) • Isaac Alarcon (4th) |
ELI5: These 5 guys protect the QB and open holes for runners. Trent Williams (LT) is one of the best in the NFL.
DEFENSE
Defensive Edge (DE) — Pass Rushers
| Side | Starter | Backups |
|---|---|---|
| Left | Keion White | Sam Okuayinonu (2nd) • Titus Leo (3rd) • Xavier Thomas (4th) |
| Right | Nick Bosa | **Romello Height*** (2nd) • Quinton Bell (3rd) • Ogbo Okoronkwo (4th) |
Bosa + White = One of NFL’s best pass-rushing duos.
Rookie Alert: Romello Height already #2 behind Bosa!
Defensive Tackles (DT) — Interior Stoppers
| Side | Starter | Backups |
|---|---|---|
| Right | Alfred Collins | Sebastian Valdez (2nd) • Gracen Halton (3rd) • James Thompson Jr. (4th) |
| Left | Osa Odighizuwa | C.J. West (2nd) • **Bryson Eason*** (3rd) |
Three rookie DTs in the rotation — huge youth injection inside.
Linebackers (LB)
| Role | Starter | Backups |
|---|---|---|
| SAM (Strong Side) | Luke Gifford | **Jaden Dugger*** (2nd) • Jalen Graham (3rd) |
| MIKE (Middle) | Fred Warner | Tatum Bethune (2nd) |
| WILL (Weak Side) | Dre Greenlaw | Nick Martin (2nd) • Garret Wallow (3rd) • **Larry Worth III*** (4th) |
ELI5:
- SAM = Lines up near tight end (strong side)
- MIKE = Quarterback of defense (calls plays) — Fred Warner is elite
- WILL = Runs free, makes tackles — Dre Greenlaw is back healthy!
Defensive Backs (DB) — Secondary
| Position | Starter | Backups |
|---|---|---|
| RCB (Right Corner) | Deommodore Lenoir | Darrell Luter Jr. (2nd) • **Ephesians Prysock*** (3rd) |
| LCB (Left Corner) | Renardo Green | Jack Jones (2nd) • Jakob Robinson (3rd) • Eli Apple (4th) |
| Nickel (Slot CB) | Upton Stout | Nate Hobbs (2nd) |
| FS (Free Safety) | Ji’Ayir Brown | Siran Neal (2nd) • **Jalen Stroman*** (3rd) |
| SS (Strong Safety) | Malik Mustapha | Marques Sigle (2nd) • Ashtyn Davis (3rd) • Patrick McMorris (4th) |
Rookies in Secondary: Prysock, Stroman both 3rd-string — developing behind vets.
SPECIAL TEAMS
| Role | Starter | Backup(s) |
|---|---|---|
| K (Kicker) | Eddy Pineiro | — |
| P (Punter) / Holder | Corliss Waitman | — |
| PR (Punt Returner) | Jacob Cowing | Jordan Watkins (2nd) |
| KR (Kick Returner) | Deebo Samuel Sr. | Jacob Cowing (2nd) • Patrick Taylor Jr. (3rd) |
| LS (Long Snapper) | Jon Weeks | — |
Fun Fact: Deebo Samuel returns kicks — he’s a touchdown threat every time he touches the ball.
Injury & Availability Tracker
Active / PUP List (Physically Unable to Perform)
ELI5: These players are on the roster but can’t practice yet due to injury. They can be activated anytime.
| Player | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Isaac Guerendo | Running Back | PUP |
| George Kittle | Tight End | PUP |
| Mykel Williams | Defensive Line | PUP |
Injured Reserve (IR) — Out for Season (Minimum 4 Games)
ELI5: These players are off the active roster and cannot play for at least 4 weeks.
| Player | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ricky Pearsall | Wide Receiver | IR |
| Andrew Farmer II | Defensive Line | IR |
| Darrick Forrest | Safety | IR |
| **Mikail Kamara*** | Defensive Line | IR |
| K.J. Henry | Defensive Line | IR |
Key Losses: Pearsall (rookie WR) & Kittle (star TE) are big misses. **Kamara*** (rookie DL) also done for year.
What to Watch in Preseason Week 2 vs. Chargers
- Brock Purdy — First live action since last season
- Mike Evans + Deebo Samuel — Do they play together?
- Rookie WRs — Stribling vs. NFL corners
- RB Rotation — How much Kaelon Black behind CMC?
- Pass Rush — Nick Bosa & Keion White getting after QB
- Secondary — Lenoir, Green, Stout, Brown, Mustapha vs. Chargers WRs
- Special Teams — Deebo returning kicks? (High risk, high reward)
Summary
| Category | Status |
|---|---|
| QB Situation | Settled — Purdy is the guy |
| Skill Positions | Loaded — McCaffrey, Evans, Samuel, Kittle (when healthy) |
| Offensive Line | Elite Left Side (Williams + Jones), solid interior |
| Pass Rush | Elite — Bosa + White + young depth |
| Run Defense | Young but talented — 3 rookie DTs |
| Secondary | Solid starters, developing youth |
| Health Concerns | Kittle, Guerendo, Pearsall, Kamara out |
Bottom Line: 49ers have Super Bowl roster — if they stay healthy. Rookies Stribling, Black, Height, Halton could contribute immediately.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
1. What does "PUP List" mean?
PUP = Physically Unable to Perform. Players on this list count against the 90-man roster but cannot practice. They can be activated anytime once cleared by doctors. Think of it as "injured but not season-ending."
2. Why are there so many numbers (2nd, 3rd, 4th) next to names?
That’s the depth chart order:
- 1st (Bold) = Starter
- 2nd = Primary backup (plays if starter hurt/tired)
- 3rd/4th = Developmental / emergency backups
In preseason, you’ll see 2nd-4th stringers play a LOT.
3. Who is Mike Evans and why is he a big deal?
Mike Evans is a 6-time Pro Bowl WR (1,000+ yards in 9 straight seasons!). He signed with SF this offseason. Pairing him with Deebo Samuel gives Purdy two big, physical, touchdown-scoring targets.
4. Can rookies really play right away?
Yes! Especially 1st-round picks like Stribling and Black. The 49ers have a history of playing rookies early (Deebo, Bosa, Warner, Purdy all contributed Year 1). Preseason is their audition for regular-season roles.
5. When does the real season start?
Regular Season Week 1 typically begins Thursday, September 11, 2026 (Thursday Night Football). The 49ers’ exact opponent/date will be in the full NFL schedule release.
Final Thought: This 49ers team is built to win now — veteran core (Purdy, McCaffrey, Kittle, Bosa, Warner, Williams) + elite new pieces (Evans) + instant-impact rookies. Preseason Week 2 is your first real look at the 2026 version. Enjoy the show!