5 Questions 49ers Must Answer Against Dolphins

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

5 Questions 49ers Must Answer Against Dolphins

Originally posted on San Francisco 49ers on SI
By Parker Hurley | Last updated Sep 20, 2026 12:53 PM ET

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.

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?

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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.

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?

This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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