In a battle of backups and depth players, the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterback play and backfield proved superior to that of the Minnesota Vikings in a 17-7 win.
Editor’s note: All grades in this article are subject to review. All PFF player grades will be finalized by 12 pm ET tomorrow.
QUARTERBACK
• Veteran Nate Sudfeld made one big-time throw and one turnover-worthy play across his 18 dropbacks.
• Rookie Brock Purdy’s stat line suffered from four drops by his receivers, but his adjusted completion rate (85.7%) tells the larger story: He performed well overall.
RUNNING BACK
• Tyrion Davis-Price handled the majority of work out of San Francisco’s backfield. On 10 carries, he tallied 41 yards — 31 of which came after contact.
• Trey Sermon was held in check before his night concluded, taking his five carries for a measly eight yards. He averaged just .6 yards before contact.
RECEIVERS
• Drops plagued the 49ers on the day, with the receivers accounting for three of the team’s five. Juan Jennings and Danny Gray were among the culprits.
• Among the positives was the tight end group, which combined for 11 catches on 12 targets for 110 yards, eight first downs and three explosive plays (15-plus yards).
OFFENSIVE LINE
• Fourth-round rookie Spencer Burford played the entire first half and stayed clean in pass protection across 23 such snaps.
• Justin Skule is set to pace the team in run-blocking grade after performing well on 20 such snaps.
DEFENSIVE LINE
• It was a standout effort from rookie second-rounder Drake Jackson, who tallied three pressures and beat his blocker another two times as a pass-rusher.
LINEBACKER
• Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles led the way with two run stops and just one yard allowed in coverage.
• The Vikings targeted Oren Burks five times for five receptions, 39 yards and two first downs on the night.
SECONDARY
• Deommodore Lenoir was the only 49ers defensive back to force an incompletion. He ended up allowing three catches on five targets for 27 yards.
• While Tariq Castro-Fields surrendered five catches on five targets, they went for only a combined 27 yards.
QUARTERBACK
• The Kellen Mond and Sean Mannion show continued for Minnesota this preseason. Mond was easily the more volatile of the two, making a whopping three turnover-worthy plays.
• Mannion finished 10-of-15 with neither a big-time throw nor a turnover-worthy play.
RUNNING BACK
• A valued fantasy football handcufff to Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison was Minnesota’s most productive back on the night. His three carries went for 17 yards and he forced a missed tackle.
RECEIVERS
• Olabisi Johnson led the team in targets (6) and hauled in three for 29 yards, all of which resulted in first downs.
• Tight end Zach Davidson managed to drop three of his four targets on the night.
OFFENSIVE LINE
• Second-year guard Wyatt Davis and center Austin Schlottmann were among the Vikings’ standouts after allowing no pressure on 12 and 25 pass-blocking snaps, respectively.
• Oli Udoh had the worst go of things, surrendering four pressures and getting beat another two times in pass protection.
DEFENSIVE LINE
• It was all TY McGill. He racked up a game-high five pressures, including two sacks.
LINEBACKER
• The linebacker snap counts went as follows: Chazz Surratt (37), Troy Dye (31), Brian Asamoah (30), Blake Lynch (23) and William Kwenkeu (20).
SECONDARY
• First-round rookie Lewis Cine gave up one catch on two targets for 19 yards.
• Second-round rookie Andrew Booth Jr. surrendered two grabs on as many targets for 14 yards.