Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, September 22, 2024, 4:25 ET
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Network: FOX
San Francisco 49ers
Quarterback
Brock Purdy: Start, QB1
Brock Purdy reclaimed some of his former glory in Week 2, throwing for 300+ yards and a touchdown. He was far from perfect, but it was still a step in the right direction. He will be without Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel this week, which lowers his overall ceiling. That being said, it may be the first week of the entire season that Brandon Aiyuk plays a full complement of snaps. He enters this week as my QB12, just sneaking into the QB1 tier.
Running Back
Jordan Mason: Start, RB1
Jordan Mason continued to impress for the Niners. He eclipsed 100 yards again and is being leaned on heavily in CMC’s absence, averaging 25 touches per game. He is a locked and loaded RB1 this week in a much easier matchup than he faced last week. The Rams’ defense has given the third most fantasy points to opposing running backs, so they provide another BOOM week for the surprise star.
Wide Receiver
Brandon Aiyuk: Start, WR1
Brandon Aiyuk could be in line for his first full complement of snaps all season. The timing could not be any better. With no Samuel or McCaffrey, Aiyuk could be looking at an alpha wide receiver workload, which could be a sight to see. His upside this week is the overall WR1, and he lands as my WR8. If you can buy him before Sunday, you should be doing it! As far as Jauan Jennings or any other 49er pass catcher goes, you aren’t starting them. I would love to see Jacob Cowing get some run, but he is more of a waiver add IF he gets run rather than a pre-game addition.
Tight End
George Kittle: Start, TE1
George Kittle will settle in the TE4-TE10 range most weeks. He saw 92% of the snaps in Week 1 and 74% in Week 2. If you drafted Kittle, odds are you don’t have another option, so keep plugging him in, and you should rarely be disappointed.
Los Angeles Rams
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford: Sit, QB2
Matthew Stafford should not be in fantasy lineups right now. The losses of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp make the path to success very narrow for a player like Stafford. He is a low-floor and low-ceiling option.
Running Back
Kyren Williams: Start, RB2
Kyren Williams is still the workhorse option for the Rams. Blake Corum did get some run, but it was mostly after the backups were in the game. In one of the toughest matchups he will face all season, Williams is a low-ceiling option who should be able to see enough volume to the mid-range RB2 tier. The 49ers have allowed just 88 rushing yards per game. Williams has been incredibly inefficient thus far in 2024, and that is likely to continue in Week 3.
Wide Receiver
Demarcus Robinson: FLEX Option
Tyler Johnson: Sit
The reality is that the Rams’ offense consists mostly of players you are avoiding. The matchup for the receivers is surprisingly good, with the Niners allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. The question is if any of the remaining Rams receivers can actually step into a full workload with any sort of consistency. For now, they are better left on your bench as we wait for this situation to sort itself out. If you are really hurting from injuries and desperate for someone to fill a lineup spot, Demarcus Robinson is likely your best bet. He profiles as a risky FLEX option this week.
Tight End
Colby Parkinson: Sit, TE2
I like Colby Parkinson as a strong option in TE premium leagues, as he should see the target volume to get you over the hump without Nacua and Kupp. That being said, he was not able to do much in Week 2, so you should temper expectations.