Few teams played all of their starters in preseason openers, and it's likely we'll see more Battles of the Backups in preseason Week 2.
Two teams that leaned heavily on their second-, third- and fourth-stringers in Week 1 were the Los Angeles Chargers and San Francisco 49ers. Neither team had its starting quarterback take the field last week, and the 49ers didn't even play backup Mac Jones – let alone starter Brock Purdy – against the ******* ans on Aug. 13.
When the two California teams face off in Inglewood this week, the stakes will be the highest for the bubble players still trying to earn a roster spot and the quarterbacks trying to move up the depth chart.
San Francisco's Kurtis Rourke, a seventh-round pick in last year's draft, seemed to outplay reserve/futures signing Adrian Martinez last week as they battled for the 49ers' QB3 spot. Los Angeles' Trey Lance, formerly a No. 3 overall pick by the 49ers, will continue to compete with 2025 undrafted free agent DJ Uiagalelei for the Chargers' backup quarterback role.
Here's how to watch the all-California matchup in Week 2 of the preseason:

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