49ers plan Brock Purdy as starter for Week 2 preseason game vs. Chargers, per depth-chart projections

The San Francisco 49ers are set to lean on Brock Purdy with the first-team offense in their NFL preseason Week 2 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to roster projection reporting that lays out the team’s likely depth chart through the early part of August’s exhibition slate.

Purdy’s presence at the top of the projected quarterback order matters because preseason weeks are when NFL teams try to answer three questions quickly. First, who runs the offense when the game is moving at full speed. Second, which skill players and offensive combinations look cohesive enough to handle longer stretches with first-string reps. Third, how reliably the timing and spacing hold up when the defense is mixing looks and pressures.

For San Francisco, Purdy getting the starting nod indicates that the staff intends to prioritize quarterback continuity in this matchup window. Preseason Week 2 is often the point at which coordinators push past the earliest-installation stage and begin asking players to execute more consistently within game-speed structures, not just in scripted practice sequences.

The reporting frames the week as a depth-chart checkpoint, not a final roster statement. Projection pieces typically map who would be first-string versus second-string based on camp usage, practice reps, and prior positional pecking order, but those lists can change quickly as coaches adjust for matchups, fatigue, and how different players respond once contact and tempo are no longer optional.

The opponent is also relevant. The Chargers present a different look from many teams the 49ers face in the first weeks of the preseason, and that usually affects how the first-team unit is expected to process defensive alignments. Purdy’s starts, therefore, can be evaluated not only on ball placement and decision-making, but also on whether the offense can diagnose and communicate efficiently when the defense rotates personnel and disguises coverage.

Beyond quarterback, the underlying value of a Week 2 depth chart projection is that it compresses the decision timeline for the roster bubble players. Coaches use the first two preseason games to create separation among those competing for backup roles on offense, starting-adjacent reps on defense, and key special teams lanes. Even when the headline is at quarterback, the biggest swing factor for many teams is often who earns the right to be on the field for the longest, most meaningful sequences across all phases.

What to watch next is how long the projected first unit stays on the field and which backup groups get meaningful series after Purdy’s initial run. If the 49ers keep the same tempo and packaging rather than pulling into ultra-conservative play-calling, it will offer a clearer read on how ready the team is for regular-season preparation. If the rotations expand quickly, the projections will shift again once coaches prioritize specific matchups and the emergence of late-camp performers.