Results don’t necessarily matter in preseason games. Teams want to win, but individual performances are generally a greater focus than the final score.
The 49ers open their preseason slate Saturday at home against the Cowboys with a slew of fascinating players to watch in game action. Here are six players to keep an eye on while the 49ers are on offense in their preseason opener:
QB CJ Beathard
Beathard hasn’t had a particularly strong camp according to reports. That means he’ll need to make up ground in games in his battle for the backup quarterback spot. The 2017 third-round pick hasn’t inspired a ton of confidence in 10 regular season starts, and Saturday’s preseason game is a chance for him to show improvement when facing an opposing defense.
RB Austin Walter
The undrafted free agent out of Rice hasn’t had a ton of chances to make noise in camp with a slew of incumbent backs garnering most of the attention. Week 1 of the preseason should give Walter plenty of chances to shine though, especially if second-year UDFA Jeff Wilson is still nursing a calf injury. A good in-game showing from Walter could put him on the inside track for a practice squad bid.
TE Ross Dwelley
It’s difficult to shine behind a player as talented as George Kittle, but Dwelley has managed to put together a handful of splash plays in camp. That may be enough to push him into the lead for the backup tight end job. Sound blocking in the run game and a couple catches would go a long way toward punching Dwelley’s ticket to the 53-man roster.
WR Deebo Samuel
Kyle Shanahan’s offense is tough to grasp for rookie wide receivers. That’s part of the reason Samuel hasn’t stood out consistently in camp. Getting into a game situation and showing what he can do with the ball in his hands should be a good indicator of how effective the second-round pick can be. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the 49ers get the ball to him on a couple of slants or screens to get him into the action early on.
WR Richie James
James’ ability to return kicks will already make him tough to let go, but he could make the coaches’ decision even more difficult with a good showing as a pass catcher in Week 1. The proven pass catchers probably won’t get a ton of burn, so James should have some opportunities both in the slot and outside. Making plays the way he did last preseason against the Cowboys could put him on the radar for some additional first-team snaps the rest of the way.
OL Najee Toran
The 49ers’ offensive line depth has been shaky throughout camp despite an influx of additions to try and bolster that area of the roster this offseason. Toran spent most of last season on the practice squad, and stepped into the backup right guard role when Joshua Garnett went down with a finger injury. A stout first preseason game would go a long way toward helping Toran nail down a spot as a backup guard.
