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One of the best and most comprehensive features we offer every year is our Footballguys Preseason Updates. Every week this month, Dave Kluge, Clayton Gray, and their team of Footballguys Staffers cover every player that matters from every NFL team. It's 32-plus pages of some of the most comprehensive coverage you'll find. It's probably worth the Footballguys Premium Subscription by itself.
Updates from Week 1
Preseason Updates: Quarterbacks
Quarterback is the one position where the team has some stability. Brock Purdy returns after missing eight games due to injury in 2025, while Mac Jones is again the backup after filling in strongly last season. Kurtis Rourke and Adrian Martinez should battle for the third quarterback spot, with early eyes on Rourke. Purdy and Jones have struggled early in camp, possibly because of HC Kyle Shanahan's injury, which has limited his presence and play-calling. Constant receiver injuries have also tested the quarterbacks, but they have responded well, especially on deep balls. The Niners open the season against the Rams in Australia, and Shanahan's availability for the long flight — given his ongoing concussion recovery — isn't yet definite despite recent improvements and should be monitored.
Preseason Updates: Running Backs
The biggest question surrounding the ground game is who steps up as RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey. Early in camp, Jordan James looked like the frontrunner, followed by rookie Kaelon Black and Patrick Taylor Jr. Isaac Guerendo remains on the roster but is on the PUP list recovering from a torn pectoral, with a return targeted by camp's end. Other backs got opportunities after James fractured a rib on July 27. Black joined James on the injury report with an adductor issue and hasn't practiced since Aug. 3, leaving Taylor and Sincere McCormick as the only backs on the field behind McCaffrey. The team signed Khalil Herbert on Aug. 2, underscoring the room's fragility.
