5 Questions 49ers Must Answer Against Dolphins

5 Questions 49ers Must Answer Against Dolphins

As the San Francisco 49ers get ready for their Week 2 game against the Miami Dolphins, expectations are for the team to win. However, there are still questions that can be answered about the roster.

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5 Questions San Francisco 49ers must answer in Week 2

What will the RB split look like?

The 49ers showed us a much tighter running back split between Christian McCaffrey and Kaelon Black than we expected. Some of that was because the 49ers took a lead and decided to use their power back, taking some pressure off of McCaffrey. The 49ers are heavy favorites this week. Is Black a sneaky good fantasy play?

Does Connor Colby continue to get chances at left guard?

The 49ers did not start rookie Carver Willis at left guard, but that time seems to be coming sooner rather than later. Colby has never been able to win the job and appears to be a placeholder until they think Willis is ready. How does he look in Week 2?

Does Malik Mustapha get more work?

Mustapha has 22 starts in two seasons. However, he was a reserve who played in garbage time in Week 1. Some of that could be because he has been injured through most of the summer. Perhaps he was not quite fresh enough to play more.

At the same time, the 49ers have a new defensive coordinator this year. There is a chance Raheem Morris prefers Marques Sigle and Ji’Ayir Brown. Sigle was expected to be the third safety, but Brown struggled the most between the two in Week 1. Both could open the door for Mustapha to be inserted back in the lineup soon.

Does run defense struggle?

The 49ers run defense was not quite exposed because the team had such a strong lead. However, on a per snap basis, the run defense was a major concern. Alfred Collins is not coming back, and Mykel Williams is still going to be out. So, reinforcements are not on the way.

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Miami lacks talent, but Malik Willis is a threat with legs at quarterback. Beyond that, De’Von Achane is tough to wrangle. Will they show us that the run defense will be exposed down the road.

Who can step up on the edge?

The 49ers have Nick Bosa, and he looks good. Beyond that is a long list of questions. Can Romello Height play better? Does Keion White show more? What about the rest of the depth?

Today’s best reads

  • 5 Biggest 49ers Lineup Revelations From Week 1
  • 49ers Week 1 Snap Count Analysis: Rookies Play a Big Role
  • 7 49ers to Watch Closely in Week 2 vs. Dolphins
  • 49ers’ New RB Split Could Be Great News for Christian McCaffrey
  • How 49ers Rookie Kaelon Black Earned His Role in the Offense



This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as 5 Questions 49ers Must Answer Against Dolphins.

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This story was originally published September 20, 2026 at 12:53 PM.

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