6 49ers to Watch Closely in Week 1 vs. Rams

Keep an eye on these six 49ers.

Sep 9, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) and wide receiver Will Pauling (84) at practice at AAMI Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Roughly seven months after the 49ers were announced to play the Rams in Australia, the game is only 24 hours away from kicking off. It’s an exciting time that football is finally back. 

Some of that excitement will be driven by some 49ers making their debuts, while others will be curious to see how they look after injury. With that said, here are six 49ers to watch closely against the Rams. 

Nick Bosa

All eyes should be on Nick Bosa for this game. He missed a significant amount of time in training camp due to tendinitis/soreness in his surgically repaired knee.

It’ll be extremely interesting to see how healthy he is. He barely returned to practice a week ago and wasn’t seen at the 49ers’ first practice in Australia. 

There will be no hiding how unhealthy Bosa is. And if he is fine, then the next observation will be to see if he can pick up where he left off last year. 

Mike Evans

Like Bosa, Mike Evans has missed a great deal of time in training camp, but his absence wasn’t due to anything severe. Evans has been dealing with soft-tissue injuries.

The 49ers have been holding him out as a precaution. This game will reveal if that’s the case. Plus, seeing Evans in the 49ers’ offense is a massive intrigue.

How he’s used will be interesting, and so will his rapport with Brock Purdy. With all of the time he’s missed, they could be struggling to get on the same page to start the year.

De’Zhaun Stribling

No other 49ers player stood out during the preseason more than rookie De’Zhaun Stribling. It’s added a lot of excitement about what his debut against the Rams will look like.

Stribling is sure to have his featured moments. Kyle Shanahan will want to stick to people who criticized the 49ers for selecting Stribling at No. 33 overall. What better way to start it than on Netflix in primetime? 

Osa Odighizuwa

The best player the 49ers added this offseason is Osa Odighizuwa. They needed to get a real game-changer on their defensive front, and boy do they have it with him.

Seeing how Odighizuwa can impact the 49ers’ defense and the players around him will be a sight to see. He’s been noted as a player who’s dominated training camp. Now, everyone can see it in a game. 

George Kittle

Circling back to injured players, seeing George Kittle trot out for this game, only eight months removed from tearing his Achilles, is insane. He’s probably the top player to watch closely.

This is a perfect example of: you need to see it to believe it. And once you see it, you’ll wonder how his body will respond. Everything changes once a player is in the game.

If he emerges totally fine, bravo. What a miracle and a beautiful comeback to see. You can’t help but admire it. Kittle should deserve some sort of accolade for accomplishing this.

Upton Stout

Without question, the best rookie last year for the 49ers was Upton Stout. It didn’t start too hot for him. He certainly had his struggles, but he responded well to them.

Stout grew right before everyone’s eyes. Now, he has a chance to leap in his development this year. What better way to showcase that than against Puka Nacua?