49ers vs. Rams Fantasy Takeaways, Outlook for Mike Evans, CMC, Davante Adams, Puka Nacua, More

The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams kicked off their seasons in Melbourne on Thursday as the Niners picked up a win against their divisional rival.

The game had more than just divisional race implications, though, as it offered some insight for fantasy football players.

After a telling performance from several players, here's some fantasy outlook on Mike Evans, Christian McCaffrey, and more stars.

When Mike Evans signed with the 49ers this offseason, some fairly assumed that the 33-year-old would ease into a second option role for San Francisco as he enters the late stages of his career.

Evans shattered those assumptions very quickly.

The veteran hauled in six catches for 49 yards and a touchdown, establishing himself as one of Brock Purdy's favorite targets in their first game together.

If the Evans and Purdy connection continues through the season, he'll be a valuable fantasy asset this year.

While one veteran receiver proved he still has plenty left in the tank, another struggled to dispel the notion that he's declining.

Rams wide receiver Davante Adams, also 33, had just three receptions for 26 yards.

It's hard to judge Adams' outlook for the season after a game where the Rams' offense struggled as much as it did, but it certainly isn't a good sign of what's to come.

He was already a second option to Puka Nacua last year, and it doesn't look like he'll make a big impact in fantasy this year.

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey missed some time during training camp because of what the team described as tightness, and he appeared to be shaking off some rust in Week 1.

McCaffrey finished Thursday's win with 68 rushing yards, 20 receiving yards and no touchdowns. He had 10 carries compared to 14 for Kaelon Black.

It's not uncommon for McCaffrey to have a slow Week 1, though, so fantasy managers shouldn't panic just yet.

Puka Nacua Needs MVP Version of Matthew Stafford

Rams receiver Puka Nacua firmly established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL last year when he recorded 1,715 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, but that season also came as Matthew Stafford won his first MVP award.

To state the obvious, Nacua goes as Stafford does.

Stafford was far from his 2025 self on Thursday as he had just 155 yards and an interception, completing 15 of his 25 passes. That led to a relatively quiet showing from Nacua, who had five receptions for 74 yards.

Nacua and Stafford are one of the best duos in the NFL when they're clicking, but fantasy managers need them to get on the same page in Week 2.

Rams' Backfield Could Cause Issues for Managers

The Rams have a good problem in the fact that they have two running backs more than capable of putting up big numbers.

But that good problem for the Rams could make things difficult for fantasy managers.

Kyren Williams was likely an easy pick for fantasy managers since he's produced double-digit touchdowns in three consecutive seasons, but Blake Corum is quickly catching up to him in terms of production.

Williams accounted for 41 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while Corum had 54 yards on 10 carries. Williams saw far more snaps in the first half, though, getting 19 to Corum's seven, according to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus.

Using the running backs equally as Sean McVay did on Thursday is good for Los Angeles since it can avoid wear and tear on just one player, but it also means Williams and Corum's stock could go down this year.

Williams is still likely the best option of the two, especially since he was more active in the passing game.