49ers vs. Broncos: Players to watch in the preseason matchup

The San Francisco 49ers are finally back in action at Levi's Stadium, hosting the Denver Broncos at 5:30 PM on Saturday for their second preseason game of the year.

After not playing last weekend, quarterback Brock Purdy could see a series or two of action against the Broncos, according to Kyle Shanahan, but the gameplan is expected to be flipped from last weekend, with backup Sam Darnold getting a majority of the first half, while Trey Lance plays in his relief during the second half.

However, the quarterbacks aren't the only ones in the spotlight, as there are several players to keep an eye out for at a number of positions on the roster.

Who are the "players to watch in the 49ers' bout against the Broncos?

QB Trey Lance

Brock Purdy is obviously a must-watch in his first live in-game action since he suffered a torn UCL during the 49ers' NFC Championship Game loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

But, he'll only play a series or two, if any, meaning it's too little action to truly get an evaluation out of Purdy.

Meanwhile, Trey Lance will be looking for a bounce-back performance after his preseason debut came with ups and down. Lance, who is battling with backup quarterback Sam Darnold, could get a quarter or two of action in the second half, depending on the team's plan for Brandon Allen.

To get back on the right track, Lance will need to field a competitive performance against the Broncos, and will get the opportunity to do so in the second half.

TE Cameron Latu

Latu is another player trending down after last week's game, as the tight end fumbled the ball on his lone touch.

It's been a disappointing camp for the third-rounder, who's faced significant drop issues and struggled to make plays.

Latu will get opportunities again in the backup tight end competition with Ross Dwelley, Charlie Woerner, and seventh-rounder Brayden Willis, but needs to start making the most of those to solidify his roster spot in Week 2 of the preseason.

K Jake Moody

Our third player trending down from last week, Jake Moody is someone who really needs to hit the ground running in Week 2 with his opportunities.

It's definitely not time to panic after just one day of bad performance, but, unlike other positions in the NFL, kicker is not one where you can just wait for development.

The 49ers need to see whether Moody's practice performance can truly translate into games, otherwise; they have to think about all their options, because they frankly cannot afford to lose games due to kicker inconsistencies.

OT Ilm Manning

For the last two players in this weekend's segment, I wanted to go with an offensive and defensive guy trending up on the roster bubble.

First up: undrafted free agent offensive lineman Ilm Manning, who has been the third-string left tackle for the 49ers, despite standing at 6'2, 294-pounds with 32' arms.

Despite the unfavorable measurables, Manning put together some really solid tape from Week 1, and could be a potential sleeper to make the roster, both given his talent and upside, as well as the disappointing battle at swing tackle thus far.

If he continues to play well, I wouldn't be surprised if Manning slowly creeps up the depth chart ahead of the cutdown date.

S Tayler Hawkins

Tayler Hawkins is my second player trending upwards after a good performance last weekend, which he'll look to build off with a solid game on Saturday.

Hawkins has primarily played with the third-string defense, but his combination of traits and instincts matched with aggressiveness suit well in the run game, while his innate coverage ability stemmed from his collegiate career is still there.

Hawkins looks much improved in Year 2, and could be another potential sleeper, should he prove more on the special teams aspect.

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