San Francisco 49ers vs Las Vegas Raiders Picks and Prediction for Thursday August 27, 2026

The San Francisco 49ers travel to Las Vegas to face the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday, August 27, 2026, in the preseason finale for both teams. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both teams enter at 1-1 in preseason play. The current market has Las Vegas as a slight 1.5-point favorite, with the total around 37.5, while the Raiders are roughly -130 on the moneyline and San Francisco is around +110.  Get ready for the regular season kickoff with our free NFL picks.

There is more intrigue here than in the typical preseason finale. San Francisco is coming off an explosive performance against the Chargers, while Las Vegas still has meaningful quarterback evaluation taking place. That makes the playing-time situation particularly important when trying to handicap a game separated by only 1.5 points.

49ers Coming Off an Offensive Explosion

San Francisco's preseason started with a 19-13 loss to Tennessee, but the 49ers looked like a completely different team in their second game. They went into SoFi Stadium and hammered the Los Angeles Chargers 41-17, evening their preseason record at 1-1.

Brock Purdy received one series against Los Angeles and helped the offense sustain a 12-play possession before his night ended. The real damage came once San Francisco moved deeper into the roster. The 49ers received production from multiple areas, including an 83-yard punt-return touchdown from Jacob Cowing, while Sincere McCormick rushed for 53 yards and a touchdown. San Francisco ultimately put 41 points on the board despite using the game primarily to evaluate its depth.

That performance matters for Thursday because the 49ers won't necessarily need their established starters to remain competitive. There are also roster spots still being decided. Jordan James has returned from a rib injury and is expected to receive an important opportunity in the finale, while San Francisco continues evaluating younger players throughout its offensive depth chart. The 49ers suddenly have a much healthier and more competitive running-back room than they did earlier in camp.

Raiders Have a Serious Quarterback Competition

Las Vegas has followed almost the opposite trajectory. The Raiders opened their preseason with a 27-14 loss to Arizona, then bounced back with a 22-20 victory over Houston. Their second game was especially revealing because Las Vegas trailed Houston 20-3 at halftime before its reserves engineered a major comeback.

The quarterback situation makes the Raiders especially interesting. Veteran Kirk Cousins was excellent during his limited work against Arizona, completing 5 of 6 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in that opener, but his second appearance was considerably more uneven. Mendoza went 8 of 15 for 86 yards against Houston and threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

Aidan O'Connell then changed the game. He completed 15 of 24 passes for 166 yards and directed a 96-yard game-winning drive, with Las Vegas scoring the decisive touchdown with 14 seconds remaining. The Raiders finished with a 400-219 advantage in total yardage, which makes the comeback more than just a fluky late result. Their reserve units substantially outproduced Houston after halftime.

Head coach Klint Kubiak has also kept the quarterback situation competitive heading into the finale. Mendoza and Cousins remain part of an important evaluation process, giving Las Vegas more incentive than usual to get useful offensive work out of Thursday night's game.

San Francisco 49ers vs Las Vegas Raiders Picks and Prediction

Pick: San Francisco 49ers +1.5

San Francisco +1.5 is my side pick. Las Vegas deserves respect after its comeback against Houston, but I don't see enough separation between these teams to lay points with the Raiders. San Francisco's depth just produced 41 points against the Chargers, and the 49ers have multiple young players fighting for roster positions who should see substantial playing time Thursday. The Raiders' quarterback competition could help their offensive intensity, but it can also produce uneven stretches similar to what we saw from Mendoza against Houston. In what essentially looks like a toss-up, getting the 1.5 points with San Francisco is the better value. Take the 49ers +1.5.

Pick: Over 37.5

Over 37.5 is my total pick. This is one preseason finale where I prefer going against the usual instinct to blindly play an under. San Francisco scored 41 points last week, while Las Vegas generated 400 yards against Houston and scored 19 unanswered points after halftime. Both teams have shown that their reserve units can move the football, and Las Vegas' quarterback competition should encourage the Raiders to allow their quarterbacks opportunities to make plays rather than simply trying to run out the preseason. A game landing around 23-20 or 24-20 would be enough. Take Over 37.5.

Final Picks: San Francisco 49ers +1.5 and Over 37.5.