I took the 49ers +3.5 in my picking pool — gotta take small wins where you can get them!
I also had Deebo Samuel in one of my NFFC leagues. He and Kaelon Black were the big revelations in this game. Everything else went more or less to form, given the lopsided score. Maybe there’s some concern about Davante Adams’ usage, but I wouldn’t read much into it. And of course De’Zhaun Stribling hurt his ankle.
Brock Purdy made one bad throw on the pick, but was mostly poised and accurate in the face of what was supposed to be an all-time Rams pass rush. I’ll chalk up their sluggishness to the travel, a good game plan, a sharp QB and Aaron Donald not yet being there. Plus Kilometers Garrett was apparently not 100 percent. Purdy is also an underrated runner.
Christian McCaffrey looked healthy on his 10 carries and five catches (eight targets), but it was Black who led the team in carries with 14. Black looked like Jordan Mason from a couple years ago, gashing defenses in Kyle Shanahan’s run scheme. Maybe Blake Corum and Kenneth Gainwell were the top backups during the preseason, but I’d expect Black to go in their same vicinity now for the NFFC weekend drafts.
Samuel had one drop, but he looked fast and tough, like he picked up where he left off last time he was with the Niners. It was pretty obvious Samuel was the guy to take over Stribling so long as he had gas left in the tank. That was really the only question, and he answered it.
Demarcus Robinson led the team in receiving and scored a long TD, but Mike Evans and Deebo each saw seven targets and are the guys for whom Purdy looks. George Kittle didn’t do much, couldn’t tell from the edited version whether he was on a limited snap count, but if so probably won’t be for long with Jake Tonges now hurt. Evans caught a lot of short stuff, but all six of his receptions were for first downs if you include the TD. He too looked healthy and sharp after a limited camp.
We’ll see how serious Stribling’s injury is, but if it’s a high ankle sprain, he’s probably a drop in a lot of formats. Can’t wait four weeks for third-fiddle on a team with McCaffrey and Kittle.
Matthew Stafford connected with Puka Nacua for a nice 41-yard catch and run, but otherwise there wasn’t much there. Nacua seemed healthy at least.
Adams saw six targets to Puka’s nine, and people were remarking how Adams wasn’t in the game when the Rams were near the goal line, but then again they got stuffed, and Adams had 14 TDs last year, so that could easily change next week.
Blake Corum and Kyren Williams are in a timeshare, but Williams got the TD and also the three catches for 24 yards. Corum looked like the guy with more juice, though.
Garrett didn’t record a single tackle, but apparently generated some pressures. Again, with respect to Stafford, Adams and Garrett, I’m not sweating one subpar game.