Are QBs Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance 'competing' for 49ers starting job?

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has repeatedly said veteran Jimmy Garoppolo is his starting quarterback over third overall draft pick Trey Lance even though the rookie has impressed in practices and in last Saturday's preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. 

The 49ers are participating in joint practices with the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of Sunday's exhibition contest between the clubs, and Shanahan suggested after Thursday's session that Lance could leapfrog Garoppolo on the depth chart before the regular-season opener at the Detroit Lions on Sept. 12. 

"They’re competing their a-- off. They’re doing a good job," Shanahan said of his top two quarterbacks, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "It’s not about one guy versus the other guy. It’s about how good can Trey be, how good can Jimmy be. I think both of them, when you go through camp, you go through games you go through practices — it’s up and down throughout the whole thing. So that’s why I don’t sit and [say] who’s ahead of the other, what’s going on after each practice. They both bring different elements to our team. Both of them, I believe, can play at a high level and I’m trying to see which one does that the best for us." 

Shanahan previously admitted he's planning on playing Lance "situationally" beginning in September assuming Garoppolo remains QB1 through Week 1. However, there is now little question Jimmy G is fighting to hold onto the starting gig past the end of the preseason.