Four under-the-radar players, one position to watch for 49ers

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Despite missing many of their stars for large chunks of last season, the San Francisco 49ers still won 12 regular-season games and advanced to the second round of the NFL playoffs.

Much of the credit for that goes to the herculean effort of running back Christian McCaffrey, but the Niners wouldn't have gone as far as they did without some under-the-radar players. Most of those unsung heroes are back in San Francisco for the 2026 season, while the team also drafted some talented rookies who could make an early impact.

Ahead of the 49ers' final preseason game against the Raiders on Thursday, here's a look at four players and one position group who could help the 49ers make postseason noise again this season.

Jump to:

Under-the-radar players

Position group to watch

WR Demarcus Robinson

In a wide receiver room that has seen its fair share of upheaval from both offseason departures and training camp injuries, Robinson has been the constant, reliable option for quarterback Brock Purdy.

Ricky Pearsall (knee surgery) is out for the season, and free agent signing Mike Evans has missed time with a quad issue. Deebo Samuel Sr. is back and rookie De'Zhaun Stribling has impressed, but Robinson has been the one lining up at every spot and producing in practice.

"I think he's just one of the best receivers that I've played with in terms of the one-on-one matchup and his feel for the game," Purdy said. "I learned a lot about him last year, but this offseason, watching film on him, it's like, alright, we can give this guy more [opportunities] and have him be a huge part of our offense."

Out of the players on this list, Robinson had the best postseason performance with six catches, 111 yards and a touchdown in their wild-card win over the Eagles. His exact role remains to be seen and might depend on Evans' health, but it's a safe bet that the team will give Robinson plenty of snaps as it sorts through injuries and youthful growing pains.

DT C.J. West

In 2025, West gave the Niners something they otherwise lacked in the middle of the defensive line: A powerful run stuffer. When West was on the field, opponents averaged 3.3 yards per attempt on 120 attempts. When he was on the sideline, opponents averaged 4.7 yards per rush on 304 attempts.

The 49ers' run defense remains a question and having West take another step forward in 2026 would go a long way in providing an answer.

"He's been a big-time run stopper and a guy that can really hold up, particularly towards the end of the season to do some things in that nose tackle position," defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said. "I'm really fired up to see where he goes from here and what he's able to do and how he can contribute to that line."

The team has played it safe with West this preseason (he sat out of the first exhibition game), but he suffered a concussion in a practice last week before returning on Sunday. The injury opened the door for an undrafted rookie such asJames Thompson Jr. orBryson Eason to bolster his case for a roster spot. Now that West is back in the mix, don't be surprised if he has a big role in this defense, particularly on early downs.

S Ji'Ayir Brown

After starting 13 games last season, Brown is entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract. The first three seasons have been full of fits and starts, as Brown has struggled to find the consistency to earn a second deal.

Through it all, Brown has remained confident, noting repeatedly that he sees himself as the top safety in the league. To that end, Brown has pointed to Morris taking over as defensive coordinator as a reason why this could be his best season yet.

During camp, Brown said Morris has allowed the safeties to play more freely and trust their instincts to make plays. For now, that is Brown's focus, not his pending free agency.

"When I get out on that field, I don't think about none of that," Brown said. "This game is so detailed that your mind just has to be on the day, the moment, the now. So that stuff, I don't even worry about that. I'm here to play football."

With Marques Sigle and Malik Mustapha as the options for the other safety spot, the 49ers need Brown to provide stability at a position that desperately needs it.

LB Jaden Dugger

Dugger is one of at least five rookies who could play an important role right away, but he might have the most difficult job. Throughout the preseason, the Niners have worked Dugger at multiple linebacker spots and he has even worked in with the edge rushers during individual drills.

While Dre Greenlaw (weak side) and Fred Warner (middle) have the primary linebacker jobs nailed down, Dugger looks like he's the favorite to fill the "fever backer" hybrid position and serve as the backup to Greenlaw.

"For a rookie to be asked to do a lot of different things, play a lot of different positions, whether it's off the ball, whether it's on the ball, whether it's on the edge, where he's being asked to do a lot of things and the fact that it's not too much for him, that's how you know that he's got a good feel of the game and being able to retain a lot of information," Warner said.

The 49ers will be in nickel defense plenty, but Dugger's combination of length (6-foot-5 with a 7-foot wingspan) and speed (4.6-second 40-yard dash) should get him on the field early and often. How he develops will go a long way in determining whether San Francisco's young defense takes a step forward in 2026.

Position group to watch

After losing incumbents Ben Bartch and Spencer Burfordto the Lions and Raiders, respectively, in free agency, the Niners didn't spend big bucks for a replacement.

Instead, San Francisco cobbled together a competition featuring low-cost free agent Robert Jones, second-year Connor Colby and a fourth-round rookie converting from tackle in Carver Willis. No one has separated themselves from the group during training camp.

"It's still a competition," Shanahan said. "No one's really completely made it easy on us yet. I still think we've got a lot more time to go, not a ton, but enough for guys to step up and do it."

As the only incumbent, Colby had an early lead but was unable to nail down the job. Jones got the next turn but has battled a calf injury. Willis is the latest player to get a shot and though he has flashed promise, his lack of experience inside could make it hard to start immediately.

Swing tackle Austen Pleasants even worked at left guard recently before a knee injury in the preseason game against the Chargers. The fact that this battle has grown rather than narrowed could suggest that their best option is possibly not even on the roster yet.

]