Predicting the San Francisco 49ers' initial 53-man roster for the regular season is a difficult task given the number of players vying for spots at the bottom of the depth chart.

However, predicting the depth chart is much easier.

The starting spots on the team are, for the most part, essentially set in stone.

There is, however, a lot of uncertainty around what the 49ers will do at kick and punt returner, though one of the most dynamic players on the team could provide a solution in a role in which he has been lightly used in years past.

Note: Players with single asterisk (*) are 2024 draft picks and players with double asterisks (**) are 2024 undrafted free agents.

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Quarterbacks

Starter: Brock Purdy
Reserves: Joshua Dobbs, Brandon Allen

The skinny: A first full offseason as the starter for Purdy, which the 49ers expect to be a huge benefit to him. Dobbs’ added upside as a runner should give him the QB2 edge over Allen.

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Running backs

Starters: Christian McCaffrey, Kyle Juszczyk
Reserve: Jordan Mason, Isaac Guerendo*, Cody Schrader**

The skinny: The big shock here is Elijah Mitchell not making the roster but, after a training camp disrupted by yet another injury, it would be no surprise to see the 49ers go with two rookie backs in Guerendo and Schrader behind McCaffrey and Mason.

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Wide receivers

Starters: Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings
Reserves: Ricky Pearsall*, Jacob Cowing*, Chris Conley

The skinny: Jennings’ position as a starter in 11 personnel has essentially been solidified by Pearsall struggling with a shoulder injury throughout training camp. Cowing has made a significant push for snaps with recent strong practices and an impressive preseason debut.

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Tight ends

Starter: George Kittle
Reserves: Eric Saubert, Brayden Willis

The skinny: Willis’ position as the third tight end is far from secure heading into the final preseason game. The 49ers could carry four, but it’s difficult to see them placing much faith in those behind Kittle and Saubert to play regular offensive snaps.

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Offensive linemen

Starters: LT Trent Williams, LG Aaron Banks, C Jake Brendel, RG Dominick Puni*, RT Colton McKivitz
Reserves: Nick Zakelj, Jarrett Kingston*, Ben Bartch, Chris Hubbard, Jaylon Moore, Jon Feliciano (IR)

The skinny: Puni has clearly earned the right to start as a rookie with his performances in camp and his excellent preseason. This depth chart is contingent on Williams’ holdout coming to an end before the start of the season.

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Defensive linemen

Starters: ED Nick Bosa, DT Javon Hargrave, DT Maliek Collins, ED Leonard Floyd
Reserves: ED Yetur Gross-Matos, DT Kevin Givens, DT Jordan Elliott, ED Robert Beal Jr, Kalia Davis (IR)

The skinny: Injuries have thinned out the depth up front and left the 49ers with few decisions to make on the D-Line. It’s a shallow group, but it should be a formidable one.

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Linebackers

Starters: Fred Warner, De’Vondre Campbell
Reserves: Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Dee Winters, Tatum Bethune*, Dre Greenlaw (PUP)

The skinny: Winters will likely be the favorite to start at SAM linebacker on base downs. Campbell will be expected to move into that role if and when Greenlaw returns from his torn Achilles.

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Cornerbacks

Starters: Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir
Reserves: Isaac Yiadom, Renardo Green*, Rock Ya-Sin, Darrell Luter Jr.

The skinny: With Yiadom missing of late due to an ankle injury, it’s difficult to have a firm position on whether he will win the third cornerback battle with rookie Green, with that duo vying to play outside corner on base downs when Lenoir kicks inside to the slot.

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Safeties

Starters: Ji’Ayir Brown, Talanoa Hufanga
Reserves: George Odum, Malik Mustapha*

The skinny: This assumes Hufanga will be ready to return for Week 1 after tearing his ACL last November. If he isn’t, core special teamer Odum will be the favorite to fill the void.

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Specialists

First Team: LS Taybor Pepper, P/H Mitch Wishnowsky, K Jake Moody

The skinny: Wishnowsky could be a little rusty having missed time with a knee injury.

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Kick returners

Kick Returners: Deebo Samuel, Isaac Guerendo
Punt Returners: Jacob Cowing, Ricky Pearsall

The skinny: The returner positions are by far the trickiest to predict. Cowing excelled as a punt returner on his preseason debut, while 2021 All-Pro Samuel and Guerendo offer the most upside as kick returners with the new rules that Kyle Shanahan believes have made returns akin to run plays. If the 49ers can create the lanes for Samuel, then their 'wide back' could easily become one of the best returners in the league having flashed when sporadically used in that capacity.