The San Francisco 49ers currently sit atop the NFC West with a 2-0 record after impressive wins over both the Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins in Weeks 1 and 2, and now, head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad looks to gain yet another in-division victory when the 1-1 Arizona Cardinals come to town in Week 3.
The Cards have shown a bit of pluck so far this season despite being in rebuild mode under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur. They took down the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1 before giving the Seattle Seahawks fits ahead of an ultimate post-halftime collapse, suggesting Week 3's tilt at Levi's Stadium won't exactly be a proverbial walk in the park for quarterback Brock Purdy and Co.
Still, getting two NFC West victories in the books while going 3-0 on the young season would be ideal for the Niners, who'll aim to stack some early wins together despite dealing with several impactful injuries right out of the gate.
Here's what you'll want to know ahead of Sunday's showdown, so bookmark this page and keep refreshing it for the latest updates.
Last updated Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 8 a.m. ET
49ers vs. Cardinals table of contents
- How to watch 49ers vs. Cardinals in Week 2
- 49ers Week 2 injury report
- Cardinals Week 2 injury report
- Weather forecast for 49ers vs. Cardinals
- Biggest 49ers storylines entering Week 3 vs. Cardinals
- 49ers vs. Cardinals game predictions
How to watch 49ers vs. Cardinals in Week 2
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 27
- Time: 4:05 p.m. ET (1:05 p.m. local)
- TV Network: Fox
- Announcers: TBD
49ers Week 2 injury report
Name | Position | Injury | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Cardinals Week 2 injury report
Name | Position | Injury | Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
Weather forecast for 49ers vs. Cardinals
- Temperature at kickoff:
- Winds:
- Precipitation:
Forecast provided by NFL Weather.
Biggest 49ers storylines entering Week 3 vs. Cardinals
Wide receiver injuries
Week 2's win over the Dolphins cost the Niners Demarcus Robinson, who now joins rookie De'Zhaun Stribling on the list of receivers who'll miss a substantial length of time. Additionally, veteran wideout Mike Evans suffered a minor hip injury during the game and will be monitored carefully.
San Francisco may look to add a receiver to either the 53-man roster or the practice squad to help beef up the back end of the depth chart, especially for the weekend before reinforcements arrive.
Defensive line depth
The 49ers are also shorthanded along their defensive line, especially after rookie James Thompson Jr. exited with an ankle injury in Week 2.
Arguably thinner than the wide receiver room, Shanahan has already acknowledged looking at free-agent options to help plug the gaps in the trenches.
Brock Purdy's red-hot start
With two games under his belt, Purdy has been responsible for six touchdowns (five passing and one rushing) against an interception, completing a league-best 80.4 percent of his pass attempts. And he's got an impressive 125.6 passer rating while not having been sacked yet.
Brock Purdy ranks this season
— PFF (@PFF) September 21, 2026
Wins t-1st
Comp pct 1st
Pass Rating 4th
Pass TD t-5th
Yards/att t-4th pic.twitter.com/KtH3VT95eO
In short, Purdy has been on fire to start the season, elevating those around him and helping engineer the Niners offense to a kind of potency it hasn't always enjoyed before his 2022 arrival.
Divisional games are always high-intensity, but one might figure Purdy to keep the hot streak going against a rebuilding Arizona defense.
49ers vs. Cardinals game predictions
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