Tonight should be entertaining because we get to see the players we’ve been reading and hearing about for three weeks in action. Which San Francisco 49ers players will stand out? Which players will look like they don’t belong?
We know there are still some position battles to be determined. The same is true for some of the depth spots, as the team needs to find out which players can be counted on during the season, whether it’s for specific roles or if (when) there are injuries that arise.
For tonight’s preseason game, we’re asking which player you’re looking forward to seeing the most. I tend to gravitate toward the younger players coming from bad situations in college — looking at you, Larry Worth III.
Everyone wants to see the rookies. It’ll be telling if De’Zhaun Stribling is treated like a veteran and his playing time is limited. He’s quickly turning into one of the more important pieces for the offense. But other rookies, like Carver Willis, have something to prove during the preseason.
Which 49ers player are you looking forward to seeing the most in their preseason opener?
My answer: Alfred Collins. It’s not easy to assess defensive linemen in practice settings because you can’t take running backs to the ground, and if you get close to the quarterback, you get yelled at. Collins started training camp on the active/PUP list, but has had a couple of weeks to get his feet under him.
Collins is the antithesis of Osa Odighizuwa. He’s not flashy, isn’t going to wow you, and is unlikely to stuff the stat sheet. He’s still a critical piece of the 49ers’ defense.
The Titans are going to play their starters. They’re a young team. So Collins will go against their starters for maybe a quarter or so. I want to see Collins look like a top-50 pick.
How are you looking forward to watching? Let us know in the comments.