49ers vs. Chargers: SNF preseason betting odds, preview, and pick

It will be an all-California affair Sunday, when the San Francisco 49ers square off against the Los Angeles Chargers in NFL preseason action.

San Francisco is the clear favorite, but what should we expect from this preseason matchup? Let's dive in.

49ers hoping to see more from Trey Lance

There is a quarterback battle in the Bay Area, between rookie Trey Lance, the third pick in the NFL Draft, and veteran Jimmy Garoppolo.

In their opening game of the preseason against the Chiefs, Garoppolo completed all three of his attempts for 26 yards. He also looked good in Thursday morning’s scrimmage against the Chargers, when he completed all seven of his passes.

Lance, however, struggled in the opener. He completed just five of his 14 pass attempts, albeit for 128 yards. Eighty of those yards came on a touchdown pass to Trent Sherfield, but Lance also had three passes dropped by his receivers and was under pressure all night. The 49ers will hope to see improved play from him against a Chargers defense that will be without many key starters.

One player who impressed in the game against Kansas City was second-year running back Jamycal Hasty, who ran for 63 yards on 10 carries. On the flip side, third-round pick Trey Sermon struggled, with just 26 yards on nine carries and a fumble.

In a backfield where someone will have to get cut, it will be interesting to see how Hasty does this week, as the two backs will also split carries with Wayne Gallman II. Sermon needs a strong preseason if he wants to unseat Raheem Mostert as the starter.

Chargers without numerous starters

The Chargers have disclosed that multiple key players will not see time in this preseason, including second-year quarterback Justin Herbert, wideout Keenan Allen, and safety Derwin James.

However, nearly every member of their draft class will be on the field this weekend, including many expected to be key contributors.

Rashawn Slater, the Chargers' first-round pick out of Northwestern, played in his first competitive game in nearly two years against the Rams, after he opted out of the 2020 college season. The left tackle is going to be responsible for protecting Herbert’s blind side and would be tested by the strong 49ers pass rush. However, he missed practice Thursday morning and is questionable for the game Sunday.

Fellow rookies Asante Samuel Jr. (cornerback) and Joshua Palmer (receiver) should get extensive playing time, and Palmer has impressed the team in training camp. Palmer had six receptions against the Rams, but Samuel has not lived up to expectations and had some struggles against the Rams.

49ers and Chargers trends

• The 49ers are 3-7 ATS in their last ten overall
• The 49ers have lost five of their last six games overall
• The Chargers are 5-0 ATS in their last five overall
• The Under is 5-2 in the Chargers’ last seven overall
• The Over is 4-1 in the last five meetings between the 49ers and Chargers

The verdict

If this were a regular-season matchup, I would be all over the Chargers, but Los Angeles will be missing too many key players.

Backup quarterback Chase Daniel played decently against the Rams, but nothing he did makes me think he can win a game against the 49ers defense.

However, the 49ers have a solid running game, and quarterbacks who want to show why they should be the regular-season starter. Both will be given plenty of chances to throw, and I expect them to lead at least one scoring drive each.

Score prediction: San Francisco 24, Los Angeles 16

NFL preseason pick: 49ers -5.5