San Francisco's been piecing its lineup back together all week. Nick Bosa is working through knee tendinitis, George Kittle is still out with an Achilles issue, and Mike Evans picked up some quad tightness at this week's joint practice with the Chargers. Christian McCaffrey is questionable too, so whatever rhythm Purdy finds early likely comes without his top pass catchers on the field. Los Angeles has its own injury to manage that outlasts Thursday — starting center Tyler Biadasz tore his ACL at that same joint practice and is done for the season, with Jake Slaughter now stepping in up front.
That's the backdrop the board is working with, and Los Angeles is sitting as the steadier team of the two coming into this one. Deebo Samuel is back in the building on a one-year deal after a season away in Washington, which complicates the receiver room Jacob Cowing was hoping to own but gives Purdy another trusted option even in a short Thursday sample.
San Francisco's résumé lately has been a mixed bag — wins mixed with losses, never quite stacking momentum. The Chargers, by contrast, are walking in off a win and looking to keep it going against a division-adjacent measuring stick before real games start.
Both rosters are still sorting out who's healthy enough to make real personnel calls off this game. Sam Okuayinonu, Dominick Puni and Gracen Halton are all questionable up front for San Francisco, while Rashawn Slater's status at tackle is worth watching for a Chargers line that just lost its starting center in practice this week.
- QuestionableBrett Toth (C)
- QuestionableSam Okuayinonu (DT)
- QuestionableDominick Puni (G)
- QuestionableGracen Halton (DT)
- QuestionableNate Hobbs (CB)
- QuestionableKyle Juszczyk (FB)
- QuestionableChristian McCaffrey (RB)
- QuestionableLuke Gifford (LB)
- QuestionableNick Bosa (DE) — Bosa's (knee) tendinitis symptoms have been subsiding recently, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.08/18
- QuestionableMike Evans (WR) — Kyle Shanahan said after Tuesday's joint practice with the Chargers that Evans experienced some quadriceps tightness, and the coach doesn't believe the issue is a serious one, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.08/18
- OutMykel Williams (DE) — Coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday that Williams (knee) is considered a "long shot" to play in Week 1 against the Rams, Dylan Grausz of NBC Sports reports.08/19
- OutGeorge Kittle (TE) — Kittle (Achilles) said Sunday that he's "very confident" he won't start the season on the reserve/PUP list and that he's still got a chance to play Week 1 versus the Rams, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.08/16
- Injured ReserveTitus Leo (DE) — Leo (undisclosed) reverted from waivers to San Francisco's injured reserve list Wednesday, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.08/20
- DoubtfulTyler Biadasz (C) — Biadasz is out indefinitely after suffering damage to his ACL and additional injuries to his left knee Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.08/19
- QuestionableRashawn Slater (OT)
- QuestionableQuentin Johnston (WR) — Johnston (lower body) is "totally fine" and may not even miss additional practice time after making an early exit Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.08/18
- OutIsaiah World (OT) — The Chargers placed World (knee) on the active/non-football injury list Friday, per the NFL's transaction log.07/24
None of it will show up in a box score that matters, but both franchises are using Thursday night at SoFi to find out who's ready for the games that do — kickoff is 7:00 PM PT.