Niner Noise
FanSided

Projected 49ers Week 1 starting lineup halfway through 2018 preseason

ByPeter Panacy|
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 hands off to Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 31: Jimmy Garoppolo #10 hands off to Carlos Hyde #28 of the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 31, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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SANTA CLARA, CA – AUGUST 23: Punter Bradley Pinion #5 of the San Francisco 49ers kicks the ball away to the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter of a preseason game on August 23, 2015 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers won 23-6. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – AUGUST 23: Punter Bradley Pinion #5 of the San Francisco 49ers kicks the ball away to the Dallas Cowboys in the second quarter of a preseason game on August 23, 2015 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers won 23-6. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Special Teams

Kicker: Robbie Gould

Punter: Bradley Pinion

Long-Snapper: Kyle Nelson

Not a lot of updates here, really. About the only position battle brewing this preseason is between punters Bradley Pinion and Jeff Locke. Locke has seen a modest amount of snaps thus far, but there’s almost zero reason to assume the 49ers move on from Pinion, who averaged 43.4 yards per punt attempt a season ago.

There’s zero camp competition for veteran kicker Robbie Gould either. And after he recorded a league-high 39 field goals last season, why would there be?

About the only point of interest — and it’s not listed here — will be return duties. Rookies Richie James, D.J. Reed and Dante Pettis all have viable return skills on both punts and kickoffs. Pettis, who recording a whopping nine punt returns for touchdowns his collegiate career, could assume this role his inaugural NFL season.

James and Reed’s returning abilities will be contingent on whether they make the 53-man roster.

Schedule