The San Francisco 49ers kicked off the 2026 season with a convincing and dominant win over the Los Angeles Rams Thursday night. The travel plans were discussed the entire week, but ultimately, the 49ers were sharper and executed better. Now, the Rams have a long, long flight back to figure out what went wrong in their quest to become more than paper champions. The 49ers will have time before the home opener against Miami to reacclimate to the time zone.
Here are the 49ers’ snap counts and grades,
according to PFF.
Offense
Quarterback – Brock Purdy 65 (63.3)
The only blemish on Purdy’s record was an interception to Quinton Lake. Following the interception, Purdy was masterful and in command. Finishing with a stat line of 25/34 (73.5%), 205 yards, and three touchdowns would have been even more impressive, as PFF credited Purdy with three drops by his receivers. Purdy was under pressure on 22.2% of his dropbacks. That’s only eight dropbacks out of 36. The biggest play for the offense was the deep shot to Demarcus Robinson.
Running back – Christian McCaffrey 36 (61.4), Kaelon Black 28 (57.2), Kyle Juszczyk 33 (44.7)
Well, what do we have here now? Jordan James was inactive, and that ends any debate about who the RB2 of this team is, but Kaelon Black out-carried Christian McCaffrey 14 to 10. The rushing attack looked back on track from years past, and McCaffrey finished with 68 yards to Black’s 65. We have a one-two punch here, folks; one of the biggest surprises to come from this game.
Wide Receiver – Mike Evans 49 (77.9), Demarcus Robinson 41 (68.2), Deebo Samuel 27 (69.6), De’Zhaun Stribling 21 (46.8), Jacob Cowing 5 (44.6), KhaDarel Hodge 1 (58.3)
De’Zhaun Stribling’s injurydampened the win, and we are waiting for more information on his injury and timetable. Mike Evans looked every bit the Hall of Famer in his first action as a 49er. Six catches, five for first downs, and a touchdown grab on a fade in the end zone. Three contested catch opportunities, three contested catches. Robinson made sure to get revenge on his former team with his long touchdown catch, and look who continued to give the Rams that belt? Deebo Samuel. Six grabs for 48 yards and a touchdown, and jump started a 49ers drive with a long kickoff return.
Tight End – Luke Farrell 46 (57.1), George Kittle 30 (47.0), Jake Tonges 8 (53.4)
Unfortunately, Jake Tonges left the game with an injury, and the hope is it isn’t very serious. George Kittle returned on a bit of a pitch count, but overall he looked great. It’s not hyperbole to say this was Luke Farrell’s best game as a 49er, too.
Offensive Line – Dominick Puni 65 (65.4), Connor Colby 65 (53.5), Colton McKivitz 65 (75.1), Jake Brendel 65 (69.0), Trent Williams 65 (68.8)
It’s a shame Myles Garrett couldn’t make the trip to Australia. Wait, Garrett played last night? Interesting. Trent Williams and Dominick Puni led the team with 75.1 and 82.7 pass-blocking grades, respectively. Much was made of the left guard situation, but Connor Colby was very good as a run blocker, and the results showed for the two running backs. Just a very solid showing from the offensive line as a whole. Very encouraging.
Defense
Defensive Line – Osa Odighizuwa 36 (59.9), Nick Bosa 36 (86.2), Gracen Halton 31 (30.4), Romello Height 30 (53.2), Keion White 30 (69.4), Cj West 23 (33.2), James Thompson Jr 21 (29.1), Khalid Kareem 19 (60.8), Ogbo Okoronkwo 18 (59.9)
There were times when the 49ers’ defensive line was getting blown off the football facing the run, but Nick Bosa looked just like the DPOY version. Bosa single-handedly was shoring up the run defense, and Osa Odighizuwa made his presence felt multiple times. The good news is there is room for improvement for the rookies, but the anchors will be Bosa and Osa, and that feels great. Five total pressures for the former Cowboy. Mykel Williams returning after Week 4 only improves the depth and flexibility.
Linebacker – Fred Warner 53 (91.1), Dre Greenlaw 40 (35.4), Jaden Dugger 34 (60.3), Garret Wallow 13 (46.1)
This just in: Fred Warner is still the best in the world. A forced fumble was the cherry on top for the returning linebacker. Warner almost came away with a pick on the first play of the game, but my goodness, Warner is back, and who would have thought bringing back Bosa and Warner would be beneficial for the defense.
Secondary – Marques Sigle 61 (80.2), Renardo Green 61 (68.9), Deommodore Lenoir 61 (54.0), Ji’Ayir Brown 55 (61.9), Upton Stout 36 (80.4), Jack Jones 8 (70.6), Malik Mustapha 6 (67.1)
This was a huge game for Marques Sigle. Without a target in coverage, Sigle was physical and finished with four tackles, five assists, and a defensive stop. Renardo Green made an incredible play on his interception and sank perfectly underneath the route for his first of the season. Raheem Morris had some interesting wrinkles, and one is his dime package with Jack Jones on the field. Early returns are great for creativity, and you have to wonder if his plans are opponent-dependent.
