Five 49ers to watch in Week 3 NFC West showdown vs. Kyler Murray, Cardinals

No team in the NFC West lost an out-of-division game in the first two weeks of the regular season.Of course, it will not happen Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, either.The 49ers meet the Arizona Cardinals in a game featuring a pair of 2-0 teams.The division’s other unbeaten team, the Los Angeles Rams, are 3.5-point underdogs at the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday morning. It seems likely the 49ers-Cardinals winner will stand alone atop the NFC West after three games.The 49ers let one get away against the Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium last year in Week 5. On a hot day in Santa Clara, Jordan Mason fumbled inside the Cardinals’ 10-yard line in the fourth quarter, and Arizona rallied for a 24-23 victory.That game is part of the reason the 49ers will wear all-white uniforms for the first time for a home game. The temperature was in the 90s, and the 49ers were outscored 14-0 in the second half while wearing their traditional home red jerseys.The 49ers decided in April to wear their all-white throwback uniforms just in case it would be another hot day at Levi’s Stadium. And that is why they are breaking from tradition. The Cardinals, meanwhile, will wear their red jerseys.Yes, things figure to heat up in the NFC West. And here are five 49ers to watch in this key division game:S Marques SigleThe lasting memory of Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray from last season came on the second play from scrimmage in the 49ers’ loss to the Cardinals at Levi’s Stadium.Murray kept the ball on a read-option, found an opening where then-49ers linebacker DeVondre Campbell should have been. Murray made a 50-yard sprint to the end zone, as safety Talanoa Hufanga charged toward the line of scrimmage and lost sight of the fleet quarterback.The 49ers have better speed on defense, and that is highlighted by Sigle’s rise to the starting lineup.Sigle lines up for his third NFL start on Sunday. Sigle must be be aware of Murray at all times in order to avoid a similar fate. He has 11 tackles and a fumble recovery in two games.LG Connor ColbyBen Bartch, who started the first two games of the season, is out for more than a month with a high ankle sprain. That opens the door for the rookie, Connor Colby.Colby is a seventh-round pick from Iowa. He won a roster spot with a solid training camp. And he emerged as the 49ers’ top backup at both guard positions. Colby will have quite a challenge Sunday, as he goes up against Arizona defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson.Campbell has 244 career regular-season starts, while Tomlinson has started 127 career games. This is the first start of Colby’s career.The next month will provide Colby with an opportunity to take over as a starter on the 49ers’ offensive line and stay there for as long as he is with the organization.CB Renardo GreenThrough the first two games, teams have mostly avoided throwing to Deommodore Lenoir’s side. Instead, Renardo Green is getting most of the action.On Sunday, the 49ers figure to be in a lot of zone coverage. Green has given up six completions on 11 targets for 116 yards through two games. Young cornerbacks give up plays, of course. Now, it’s just a matter of him making the adjustments and improving.“People have got to remember he’s just a second-year kid, second-year young man, and he’s learning and getting better every single week,” 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. “(I) loved his energy this week. He always bounces back.”He figures to have a busy day on Sunday, as the Cardinals are likely to line up Marvin Harrison Jr. on that side and test Green as much as possible. Harrison has seven catches for 98 yards and one touchdown through two games.RB Christian McCaffreyWhile the 49ers continue to be in flux at wide receiver, the versatility of running back Christian McCaffrey becomes more important than ever. In two games, he has 125 yards receiving and 124 yards rushing. He lined up at receiver for 11 of his 55 snaps in the 49ers’ Week 2 victory over New Orleans.“He’s a guy who’s never not a focal point,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Anytime you have a running back who can track coverage like that out of the backfield, it kind of changes everything.”Ricky Pearsall is the only one of the 49ers’ receivers who has been practicing routinely for any period of time. Therefore, the 49ers need McCaffrey’s production — and the threat he poses for any defense — more than ever.DL Mykel WilliamsIt did not take long for the 49ers to realize rookie Mykel Williams is the second-most-important player on the team’s defensive line.Williams, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, played 87 snaps in the first two games. His statistics do not reflect his importance to the team. He has six tackles, including two for losses.“He’s so good on the edge in the run game, beating up tight ends, set on the edge on the tackles, not allowing it to get outside,” Shanahan said. “He’s also so good in the pass game.”Williams can rush the passer from the outside or move inside and push the pocket. His pressure up the middle contributed to a Nick Bosa late-game sack in Week 2 against New Orleans.Williams will play a huge role in Sunday’s game, clogging inside escape lanes against Murray and setting the edge to force running back James Connor to run into traffic.Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

Five 49ers to watch in Week 3 NFC West showdown vs. Kyler Murray, Cardinals

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