The 49ers’ offense struggled in a rainy, muddy game in Washington. They’ll need to play better, especially in the run game, against a Carolina defense that has gotten to the quarterback more than any team in the NFL this season. The offense will receiver a boost after acquiring wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders on Tuesday from the Denver Broncos.
With a tough matchup against the Panthers coming, here are the six players to watch on the 49ers offense:
WR Emmanuel Sanders
The newest member of the 49ers is a much-needed addition to the wide receiver corps. Sanders will make his debut as a 49er on Sunday with more receptions, yards, and touchdowns on the season than any other receiver on the team. Through seven games with Denver this season, Sanders was targeted 44 times with 30 receptions for 367 yards and two touchdowns. He has the ability to play at all three receiver spots in the offense, which will make him a valuable player for both Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
Garoppolo played well in the second half in Washington, throwing for 141 yards after throwing for just 10 in the first half. A lot of his struggles could have been due to the weather, but he will need to be more consistent against Carolina’s very good pass defense. His quick snap-to-throw time will need to be on display against a Panthers defense that leads the NFL with 27 sacks. Garoppolo and the offensive line have done a solid job preventing sacks. The signal caller has been taken down just eight times this season.
T Justin Skule
Skule has been impressive since replacing Joe Staley in Week 3. In his 316 snaps, Skule has allowed Garoppolo to be pressured just three times. He will face his toughest test Sunday when he lines up against a rotation of Mario Addison and rookie Brian Burns. The duo rotate at defensive end and have combined for 11 of Carolina’s 27 sacks.
TE Levine Toilolo
Toilolo has been up and down in his snap counts this season, seeing as many as 37 and as few as 10. Both of those numbers came the last two weeks – the high coming in Week 7 against Los Angeles, and the low coming in Washington a week ago. He has only two receptions on two targets and is mostly used as a blocker. If Skule does struggle with Addison and Burns, look for Toilolo to see increased snaps to help relieve that pressure off the edge. He came down with a groin injury late in the week and was listed as questionable. It would be a pretty significant blow for San Francisco if they had to operate without their big tight end.
TE George Kittle
The 49ers’ tight end may be the biggest beneficiary of the Sanders acquisition. Kittle has been Garoppolo’s favorite and most consistent target, and the insertion of Sanders into the lineup may take some attention off Kittle. The third-year tight end has been targeted on 26.8 percent of Garoppolo’s passes, and for good reason. He leads the team with 376 receiving yards. Sanders is a legitimate weapon on the outside that the 49ers have lacked all season, which is something that should take eyes off of Kittle.
RB Matt Breida
In the first four games of the season, Breida averaged 85 yards on 13 carries per game. The last two, Breida has dropped to 35.5 yards on 10.5 carries per game. He started to roll a bit against Washington before exiting the game with a head injury after being poked in the eye. The 49ers’ rushing attack has struggled the last two games and Breida’s lack of production has hurt. Carolina has allowed 119 yards per game on the ground, the 10th-most allowed this season, and they’re third in rushing defense DVOA according to Football Outsiders. With the weather looking good for Santa Clara on Sunday, look for Breida to try to turn it around against a defense that struggles against the run.
