San Francisco 49ers: 3 Players with something to prove vs. Chargers

The final preseason game means little for most members of the San Francisco 49ers roster, but here we look at three players with something to prove.

The San Francisco 49ers round off their preseason schedule against the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, with pretty much all of the starters set to watch from the sideline as they prepare for the regular-season opener.

But for the players on the second and third string this is chance to impress not only the 49ers, but other teams who may look to sign them should they fail to make the final 53-man roster.

The exhibition finale may not matter for most, but here we look at three players with something to prove against the Chargers.

Jeremy McNichols

The battle for third running back spot behind Jerick McKinnon and Matt Breida had been one of the most intriguing of training camp and preseason, that was until Alfred Morris made his 49ers debut in Saturday’s game with the Indianapolis Colts, racking up 84 yards on 17 carries. After that display it now appears unlikely the 49ers will be able to cut Morris, but there remains the distinct possibility San Francisco will carry four running backs on the roster.

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Raheem Mostert appears the favorite to win that role given his special teams upside and, with Joe Williams out through a hip bruise and a broken rib, his only competition figures to be Jeremy McNichols.

McNichols has carried the ball with purpose and displayed some elusiveness while also flashing potential in pass protection, with his disappointing 48 yards on 15 carries in three games not telling the full story. Still, that is not the kind of production likely to land him on the roster. McNichols failed to stick with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his rookie year and will likely need to impress significantly to avoid the same fate with the 49ers.

Joshua Garnett

Garnett has been excellent since returning to the 49ers offensive line from a knee injury that kept him out of much of camp, his performances ingniting the competition for the starting right guard job. The 2016 first-round pick has been smooth in getting to the second level in the run game and has had little difficulty holding up in pass protection.

Despite his strong showings, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuessday that the right guard job is Mike Person’s to lose, the versatile eighth-year man described as the “most consistent” of those in the running to start.

Kyle Shanahan on RG spot and Mike Person: "I would say it’s his job to lose right now or however you want to say it. Josh (Garnett) could beat him out. But Person has been the most consistent since Day 1 and he’s had a real good camp. We’ll see what happens these last few days.”
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) August 29, 2018

Shanahan, though, did indicate that the job is still very much up for grabs, so it is important not to read too much into his seemingly strong endorsement of Person.

Yet, with Garnett poised to play against the Chargers, his words should provide plenty of motivation for the Stanford Cardinal, who will want to again impress to ensure Shanahan’s decision over who to start versus the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 is not an easy one.

Cole Hikutini

It has seemed a near-inevitability that Cole Hikutini would be the 49ers third tight end behind George Kittle and Garrett Celek. However, recent developments have suggested his spot could be in jeopardy.

Cole Wick, signed to the practice squad last October, saw gradually increased work with the starters as the 49ers shelved Kittle for the preseason with a shoulder injury. He flashed some promise as a blocker in the Colts game, which saw Hikutini drop Jimmy Garoppolo’s best pass of the encounter, a 19-yard strike up the seam that would have been a touchdown had he held on.

In his 53-man roster projection heading into the final week of preseason, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco had Wick making the team ahead of Hikutini, citing the latter’s struggles as a blocker.

Hikutini’s athleticism should appeal but the 49ers have that in spades at tight end with Kittle. An extra blocking tight end who can provide help on short-yardage runs is probably of more use to the Niners at this point and Hikutini may have to produce something special to convince them otherwise.