The San Francisco 49ers are relying a lot on unproven talent at the wide receiver position heading into the 2025 season. Brandon Aiyuk won't be ready for Week 1, which means 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall will be expected to take a massive step forward, as will veteran Jauan Jennings.

The San Francisco 49ers have needed an offensive lineman to step up at guard and an undrafted rookie is doing just that through two preseason games.

The 49ers wisely have some key veterans, most prominently Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey and Trent Williams, on schedules designed to keep them fresh and out of the fray from time to time. Quarterback Brock Purdy is a leader in a more reserved, analytical way. Deommodore Lenoir is stepping up to push the secondary.

But with the Super Bowl window arguably closed, the 49ers' front office opted for a mini-rebuild for this season, bringing in many new faces. For Shanahan, the optimism surroundin

The 49ers have committed to Brock Purdy with a big extension. But the key to that deal is the guy standing behind him in the backfield.

There's no clarity yet on which quarterback will start for the San Francisco 49ers in their final preseason game.

"If the 49ers want to lighten Christian McCaffrey's workload, they must add a durable running back to the rotation," Moton wrote. "Robinson can grind out yards between the tackles, which would allow McCaffrey to stay fresh for the length of the regular season."

The injury list for the San Francisco 49ers went through a bit of a shuffle with a few key players returning from injuries Tuesday while significant questions remain on several others just a week before NFL rosters will be cut to 53 players.