Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 1st, 4:05 PM ET
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Betting Odds: SEA -3.5, 47.5 total via PFF.com
Network: CBS
Writer: Estevão Maximo (@estevao_maximo on Twitter)
San Francisco 49ers
Quarterbacks
Brock Purdy (Start, QB2)
Brock Purdy is Jimmy G 2.0. Can we all get on board with that? From what we’ve seen so far, he is a very serviceable starter and will be a solid backup to Trey Lance next year. We’ve seen nothing to indicate otherwise.
Facing a Raiders D which has been more than welcoming to all passing attacks, allowing the sixth most points to opposing quarterbacks, and opening up the door for comeback after comeback, Purdy should be able to put in his 235 passing yards and a couple of touchdowns before this game gets out of hand.
Running Backs
Christian McCaffrey (Start, RB1)
Tyrion Davis-Price got some work late in the game against the Commanders, once the Niners had it wrapped up, but it’s nothing that should register on the radars of CMC shareholders. The news against running backs isn’t much better for Las Vegas, who allows the ninth most points to the position.
The price that took CMC to the building aside, we’ve seen the type of impact he can have on his offense, and the biggest worry I would have about him in this championship week is the Niners running away with it very early and limiting his workload, but I’m still feeling really good about the former Panther.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Brandon Aiyuk (Start, WR3), Jauan Jennings (Sit), Ray-Ray McCloud (Sit), George Kittle (Start TE1)
Deebo may practice this week, but there is basically no chance he plays, it’s simply not worth it for SF to even take that chance if it is possible. Aiyuk has been a pretty serviceable fantasy option, but it’s hard to expect fireworks with CMC and Kittle running the show (with Deebo out). Aiyuk is just that this week, a serviceable WR3, coming off a 13-point performance.
Jennings is still the better desperation play over McCloud, who is used on gadgets, but in a game with unfavorable gamescript (most likely), look elsewhere.
Kittle has taken off in the last two weeks with four touchdowns, and outside of Kelce, there is no one you should rather have for this week.
Las Vegas Raiders
Quarterback
Jarett Stidham (Sit)
The Raiders are out of the postseason race, and with that in mind, the organization has made an executive decision to sit out Derek Carr for the remainder of the year, because an injury would alter the complexity of his contract. We can argue about a bunch of aspects and the general structure of the league that leads to these scenarios, but in a vacuum, the decision does make sense for Las Vegas.
However, for us, the fantasy people, it is rather discouraging to hear that Davante Adams and Darren Waller in particular won’t get their franchise QB under center for this championship week, but then again, maybe not? The targets from Carr to Adams last week in Pittsburgh were dreadful. Still, it beats whatever we’ll get from Stidham against this stout Niners D.
Running Backs
Josh Jacobs (Start, RB2)
Jacobs had a pretty mediocre night last time out against the Steelers, but he remains one of the signature bellcows in 2022, and despite many things working against him, from the fact he’ll face the best defense in terms of points allowed to opposing running backs, to having Stidham behind center, putting a larger onus on him to carry the offense, you can’t turn your back away from him at this point.
Jacobs got you here, and it’s ride or die time. Would I feel more comfortable with other top backs, probably, but if you have a team that can afford to bench Jacobs, then we have a lot to talk about.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Davante Adams (Start, WR2), Mack Hollins (Sit), Hunter Renfrow (Sit), Darren Waller (Start, TE2)
Davante Adams has 6 catches for 43 yards over the last two games, and his nine targets at Pittsburgh gave him no shot at a productive day, with Carr missing him left and right. Now, with all of that being said, he is still Davante Adams, and shouldn’t be underestimated, but we saw on last Sunday Night what a bad QB can do even to a Hall of Fame wideout (McSorley-Nuk).
We have no track record of Stidham with this team, and very little with him as a whole, but Adams gets pegged down, and as far as Renfrow and Hollins, you’re better off switching gears and looking at other flex options.
Darren Waller has been on a limited snap count in his two games back (49 and 40 percent respectively), but showed his talent with two good games. While I would play other TE1 options ahead of him, his talent-level is an outlier at the position, and you can play him as the TE2.