San Francisco 49ers vs. Las Vegas Raiders prediction, pick for NFL Week 9 on Sunday 11/08/26

Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins threw three touchdowns and ran for another against the Jets. Las Vegas needed nearly all of it to escape 38–33, and Cousins has now thrown multiple touchdowns in seven of eight games. He gets a nastier front Sunday at Levi’s Stadium: San Francisco returns from its bye with edge rusher Nick Bosa back and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner ready for his debut. Running back Christian McCaffrey has also been cleared. Below is my preview, prediction, and pick for this week’s NFL game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Here’s how I’ll play it. I’ll be pumping out these predictions for individual games all season, with plenty of coverage here on DraftKings Network. Follow my handle @dansby_edits for more betting plays.

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49ers vs. Raiders prediction, preview

McCaffrey gets to run at defenders who have been letting backs build speed before anybody hits them. Las Vegas has conceded a league-worst 3.13 adjusted yards before contact per carry and now loses defensive tackle Thomas Booker. McCaffrey reached 100 scrimmage yards against Atlanta before the bye despite moving in and out with a leg injury. Friday’s full practice is encouraging; it doesn’t guarantee his normal workload. Even a reduced afternoon would give quarterback Brock Purdy someone to feed before Las Vegas can force him into obvious passing downs.

Purdy’s receiving room remains badly depleted. Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Christian Kirk are out, while Demarcus Robinson returns from a Week 2 absence with his route load unsettled. Tight end George Kittle has already carried more of the passing game without Evans and Samuel, catching eight passes for 88 yards on ten targets in their last outing. Las Vegas has surrendered 2.3 passing touchdowns per game. I expect McCaffrey’s runs and Kittle’s catches to bring Purdy close enough to exploit those failures, carrying San Francisco into the low 30s even without their usual wideouts.

Tight end Brock Bowers has been punishing the coverages San Francisco uses most, averaging 3.35 yards per route across 84 routes against Cover 3 and Cover 6. The 49ers use them on 60% of dropbacks. Bowers has drawn at least eight targets and surpassed 70 receiving yards in all six appearances this season. Cousins can work him through those zones rather than wait for an outside receiver to separate. Questionable defensive backs Nate Hobbs and Upton Stout leave San Francisco less settled inside, too.

Raiders vs. 49ers pick, best bet

Coach Klint Kubiak can squander that passing opportunity by running into too many long-yardage downs. Raiders back Mike Washington Jr. took 25 carries for 83 yards against the Jets; fellow back Ashton Jeanty carried twice. Kubiak calls their allocation a moving target. San Francisco has allowed only 89 rushing yards per game. Bosa and Buckner should squeeze those running lanes further, then rush Cousins when he has to throw. Jeanty gives Kubiak another way to use the backfield: he has caught at least three passes in every game, while San Francisco has allowed backs 48 receiving yards per game.

I’m taking 9.5 at -105 because Cousins can still score while chasing Purdy. Kubiak already gave Jeanty the larger share of pass routes against the Jets, and Jeanty turned three catches into 64 yards. Alongside Bowers, he can help Cousins advance without waiting for long routes behind this reinforced rush. Bosa and Buckner could force enough hurried throws to stretch the margin into double digits. I expect them to end some drives, but Las Vegas has too much established production through those shorter throws for me to lay nearly ten.

Best bet: Raiders +9.5 (-105)

Projected score: 49ers 31, Raiders 23.

Best Bet: Raiders +9.5 (-105) at 49ers