San Francisco 49ers: Full 2018 depth-chart predictions ahead of Week 1

Quarterback

Jimmy Garoppolo, C.J. Beathard

Like last year, the 49ers are going to keep no more than two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster, Jimmy Garoppolo and C.J. Beathard.

No. 3 QB, Nick Mullens, wasn’t claimed off waivers following roster cuts and will be heading towards the practice squad.

For Garoppolo, 2018 will be a notable test after he helped the Niners reach a five-game win streak to close out last season. And with a full offseason’s command of Kyle Shanahan’s offense, one can only imagine his level of effectiveness under center.

Garoppolo’s preseason campaign wasn’t overly spectacular or eye-popping. It didn’t have to be, though, as Shanahan’s complex system was dialed back to the extreme during this exhibition phase. Plus, with a revamped receiving corps, one should expect the franchise quarterback to have even more weapons at his disposal compared to a year ago.

Yet the Niners’ prospects for a successful 2018 would be dashed almost entirely if Garoppolo was to suffer an injury of any sorts. That would mean Beathard, who did struggle this preseason and showed few signs of progression after breaking into the league last year.

The hope is Beathard won’t have to see any meaningful snaps this season.

As noted earlier, expect a few minor changes to the roster — including additional IR announcements and transactions — between now and game day on Sept. 9. But for an early prediction on the lineup, this is about as good as it gets.