The 49ers moved to 2-0 in the preseason with a win over the Broncos on Monday night. While the game got off to a slow start with some rust still clearly affecting the starters, there were a slew of players who stood out in San Francisco’s 24-15 win.
Here are six players who jumped out in Week 2 of the preseason:
SS Jaquiski Tartt
Tartt was terrific against Denver with a couple tackles for loss and a nice pass breakup. San Francisco needed a safety to step up and make plays, and Tartt did that very effectively Monday night. If he’s not already the starting strong safety, he’s certainly close to locking up the job.
DL Solomon Thomas
There were multiple disruptive plays in the Denver backfield Monday night thanks to Thomas. He blew up a sweep by getting into the backfield, then had a near sack that forced a scramble by quarterback Drew Lock. He’s still not great rushing off the edge, but he flashed big-time on the interior, which is where he’ll rotate in the most this year.
RB Raheem Mostert
It’s clear Mostert’s explosiveness is effective in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. He ran the ball six times for 58 yards and a touchdown, while adding two catches for 42 yards. Mostert will make the club for his special teams prowess, but he might be carving out a role on offense if he keeps producing like that.
WR Richie James
James continues to shine as a kick returner, and it might just be enough to keep him on the roster. Field position was a problem for the 49ers last year, and his 40 yards-per-return in Denver are the kind of plays that put the offense in position for easier points. He added one catch for 14 yards on three targets in the passing game.
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
Wilson probably won’t grab a roster spot, but he’s a definite practice squad candidate. He made a splash last year as an undrafted rookie thanks to his hard-nosed running style. That same style shined through last night when he picked up 33 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. The two most impressive plays were a nasty stiff arm to end one run, and his strength to punch in a touchdown from the 1-yard line.
CB Dontae Johnson
It wasn’t a perfect night for Johnson, but he got picked on quite a bit and came up with two pass breakups, and a third that was nullified by a defensive holding call. He also came up with a diving interception – the first pick by a 49ers cornerback in any game since December 24, 2017 against Jacksonville. He has an uphill climb to the roster, but plays like the ones he made Monday will help.
