49ers vs Raiders Prediction - NFL Picks 8/13/23

The San Franciso 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders face off on Sunday in an NFL Preseason Week 1 showdown at Allegiant Stadium. 

Brock Purdy Number One?

Brock Purdy showed some flashes last season with the 49ers and as long as he’s healthy, it looks like he’s going to be the starting quarterback this season. He has been cleared after going through surgery to repair a torn ligament in his elbow. Purdy has said his arm feels good but it’s unclear if he’s going to get any run in this game. Behind Purdy on the depth chart are Trey Lance, Sam Darnold, and Brandon Allen. Lance looks like he could be on his way to a bust, and right now he might be trying to impress other teams in hopes someone else will decide to trade him. I would expect the 49ers to rest a lot of players like Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle

So Many Questions Surrounding the Raiders

There seem to be so many questions surrounding the Raiders and this first preseason game hopes to answer some of those. One of the big battles to watch is the backup quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo is going to be the starter this season, although it’s unclear if he’s going to play in this game. Behind Garoppolo is Brian Hoyer, Aidan O’Connell, and Chase Gabers. The Raiders have a new look defense, and although some of the key guys might sit out, this is going to be a good test going against the 49ers offense. On offense one of the big questions marks that needs to be figured out is the running back position if Josh Jacobs continues to hold out. The Raiders just signed Damien Williams to give the backfield even more depth. All the running backs are going to get plenty of run here.