Who needs to step up for the 49ers on Thursday against the Rams?
The San Francisco 49ers are going to be shorthanded on Thursday when they face the Los Angeles Rams, as quarterback Brock Purdy, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall were among those ruled out for Week 5.
With Purdy out, Mac Jones will make his third start in four weeks, and he’ll be throwing to a brand-new receiver corps that likely consists of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Russell Gage, Skyy Moore, Kendrick Bourne, and Demarcus Robinson.
San Francisco has traditionally had Los Angeles’s number under head coach Kyle Shanahan, but they lost both games to the Rams last year and are underdogs heading into Thursday’s contest.
With the number of key pieces out, let’s look at five players to watch for the short-handed 49ers on Thursday.
Renardo Green
The Rams have been targeting the cornerback guarding Puka Nacua quite often this season. That could be Renardo Green on Thursday, as the second-year pro may have the toughest challenge of his young career.
Nacua lines up everywhere and has been dominant this year, leading the NFL in catches, targets, and receiving yards through four games.
Green missed Week 4 with a neck injury that he sustained at the end of Week 3, but seems trending to play against the Rams and will step into the fire immediately.
It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Upton Stout get a ton of volume his way against Nacua and Davante Adams, but Green’s success on the outside could be a big factor for the 49ers on Thursday.
Mac Jones
Jones has been crucial to the 49ers in both wins this season. And he’ll have his biggest challenge yet against the Rams with his group of pass-catchers.
Above all else, he’ll need to minimize turnovers, but he may need to spearhead the 49ers offense if the run game continues to be inefficient.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan has shown he’s not afraid to unleash Jones, with the quarterback throwing 39 and 41 passes in his two starts. He’ll have a lot of pressure on Thursday with a below-average group of weapons and against a tough defensive line.
Bryce Huff
The 49ers need some pass-rush help. They’ve struggled without Nick Bosa over the last six quarters in getting to the quarterback. That can’t happen against Matthew Stafford, who is already very efficient with getting the ball out in time.
Huff is the 49ers most-accomplished pass-rusher currently. He’ll need to get to the quarterback on Thursday, forcing the Rams to change their gampelan and getting them off their rhythm.
Huff has two sacks and a forced fumble this year. He’ll face more difficult 1-on-1s now, but he needs to perform well on Thursday.
Mykel Williams
Similar to above, the 49ers need some pass-rush help. But, they also are hoping to contain Los Angeles’s rushing attack after Kyren Williams rushed for 77 yards on 5.9 yards per carry against the Colts.
Williams is a quality run defender at his size and length, and he’ll have to set the edge well against a creative rushing attack. He is also looking for his first sack and is hoping to improve his pressure numbers, showing steady improvements week by week.
But, the 49ers will need to rely on their defense this week, which means they’ve got to win at the line of scrimmage first and foremost. That starts with players like Williams.
Connor Colby
The rookie seventh-round guard from Iowa has been tested quite often over his first two games, with teams throwing stunts at him and making life difficult.
Well, things don’t get much easier against the Rams, who have a top-tier pass rusher in Jared Verse, a quality nose tackle in Poona Ford, and two good defensive linemen with Kobie Turner and Braden Fiske.
The Rams defense has quietly been one of the best in the NFL in 2025. That comes from their success up front, and Colby will probably see more stunts and pressures thrown at him on Thursday.
Category: General Sports
