The NFL Preseason is into its final week, meaning it’s time for one last tune-up before the real action kicks off in September. On Thursday, we have a four-game slate that pits the San Francisco 49ers against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at Allegiant Stadium.
Here’s a prediction and pick for 49ers vs. Raiders in the NFL Preseason on Thursday, courtesy of odds and lines on DraftKings Sportsbook.
49ers vs. Raiders preview
The preseason really doesn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things, so it shouldn’t be used as a measuring stick for a team’s future performance. However, for the clubs themselves, there are reasons that these games do matter – especially with the final week of games serving as a final opportunity to evaluate talent, potentially deciding position battles and depth moves.
The results for the Niners have been inconsistent thus far, to say the least. The starters have seen limited action, hardly playing in a 19-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans before hitting the field briefly in a 41-17 drubbing of the Los Angeles Chargers. From the sound of things, Kyle Shanahan doesn’t plan to play many – if any – of the 1s this week, saying he’d be surprised if any of them are out there.
Don’t expect Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, or the recently-taken-off-the-PUP-list George Kittle to see the field. One name worth monitoring is wideout De’Zhaun Stribling, who caught seven passes for 63 yards before hauling in five balls for 46 yards in his second game. He’s truly impressed in a limited sample, so the drumbeat surrounding the No. 33 pick has only intensified. Elsewhere, Mac Jones should throw at least a few passes, while the backfield may be manned by Kaelon Black, Zamir White, and/or Sincere McCormick.
From the Raiders’ preseason, there’s also a mix of positives and negatives to glean. They fell to the Arizona Cardinals 27-14 in the opener before a 22-20 win over the Houston Texans. The offense appeared much more capable in the second contest with over 400 yards on the day. They’ve seen some productive performances from a couple of standouts – No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza went 10-for-16 for 91 yards and a touchdown through the air, plus a rushing touchdown in his first outing, then went 8-for-15 with 86 yards despite an interception in his second. Mike Washington Jr. also stood out in the backfield with nine carries for 56 yards last time out, though he may not see much work since he’s the new starter while Ashton Jeanty remains sidelined due to injury.
Some, but not all, starters are expected to suit up on Thursday for Las Vegas. There’s still a battle at offensive guard between Jackson Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers, so some of the first-string line may get on the field. Don’t expect to see Brock Bowers in any capacity, as the same likely goes for Maxx Crosby on defense. Thus far, the team has been tight-lipped about who will play, but Kirk Cousins probably won’t see action either.
49ers vs. Raiders prediction, pick
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Raiders as a 3.5-point home favorite in this matchup with -174 odds to win on the Moneyline. The 49ers are a +144 road underdog with the game total set at 37.5 combined points.
To be clear, betting on NFL Preseason can prove very tricky. Established names don’t see much action, especially in the earlier weeks, and there’s much more variance in these games due to the roster shuffling and how deep of a player pool coaches draw from. Especially in the context of final roster cuts approaching in the coming days, that may ring even more true.
Personally, I’m feeling the under in this game. There should be very few starting-caliber players on the field as these teams make their final evaluations of the depth at game speed ahead of cuts. Even as backups, Mac Jones and Fernando Mendoza probably won’t play much, either. Quarterback play could be shaky and the teams are likely to go far down the depth chart at the skill positions, so with those factors in mind, I feel it’s most prudent to just fade scoring as a whole with the under on the 37.5 total.
