San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Chargers Picks and Prediction for Thursday August 20, 2026

The San Francisco 49ers travel to Southern California to face the Los Angeles Chargers in NFL preseason Week 2 on Thursday, August 20, 2026. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, with NFL Network carrying the game nationally. San Francisco enters at 0-1 after a 19-13 loss to Tennessee, while Los Angeles is 1-0 following an impressive 27-7 victory at Houston. Make sure you are ready for the NFL season with our free NFL predictions.

The early betting market has Los Angeles around a 1.5-point favorite, with a total of 39.5. The Chargers are approximately -116 on the moneyline, while San Francisco is around -102. Those are reasonable numbers for a matchup in which quarterback availability and second-half depth could become more important than the quality of either team's regular-season starting lineup.

Previous Game Recap

San Francisco opened its preseason with a 19-13 home loss to the Tennessee Titans. The final score was disappointing, but the 49ers actually outgained Tennessee 322-279 in total net yards and held the football for 32:48 compared with Tennessee's 27:12. San Francisco committed seven penalties for 48 yards, while Tennessee was flagged nine times for 67 yards.

Kurtis Rourke provided one of San Francisco's biggest positives. Rourke completed 12 of 14 passes for 101 yards and helped direct a 68-yard touchdown drive during the second quarter. He also contributed 14 rushing yards before leaving with a rib injury. Adrian Martinez handled the offense afterward. The 49ers scored seven points in the second quarter and three in each of the final two quarters, but Tennessee's four scoring quarters were enough to secure the six-point victory.

Los Angeles had a much better opening night, beating the Texans 27-7 in Houston. The Chargers received production from both quarterbacks who played. Trey Lance completed 12 of 20 passes for 164 yards, although he threw one interception and was sacked twice. DJ Uiagalelei was much more efficient, completing 6 of 9 for 120 yards and a touchdown, finishing with a 146.8 passer rating. Overall, the Chargers completed 18 of 29 passes for 275 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

The Chargers also received an excellent all-purpose performance from Amar Johnson, who accumulated 85 yards from scrimmage, including 68 receiving yards and 17 rushing yards, while scoring twice. Los Angeles didn't simply win its opener; it showed the sort of offensive depth that can be particularly valuable when handicapping preseason football.

49ers Searching for More Points

San Francisco's 322 total yards against Tennessee suggest its offense wasn't nearly as ineffective as the 13-point final score might imply. The 49ers moved the football and won the yardage battle, but they didn't convert enough of that production into touchdowns.

Rourke's injury is particularly relevant for Week 2. He was taken to the hospital after experiencing difficulty breathing following the rib injury, although initial X-rays did not reveal a fracture. That leaves his availability against Los Angeles in serious doubt and changes the quarterback rotation San Francisco expected to use during the preseason.

Adrian Martinez therefore becomes more important, while Mac Jones could potentially be needed after sitting out the preseason opener. San Francisco has generally been conservative with its established starters during the preseason, so I don't want to handicap this matchup on the assumption that the 49ers will suddenly receive extensive work from their first-team offense.

The positive is that San Francisco showed it could sustain offense with its reserves. Producing 322 yards while holding the football for nearly 33 minutes is a decent foundation. The issue is whether those drives can end with touchdowns rather than field goals or empty possessions.

Chargers Depth Made an Immediate Impact

Los Angeles provided exactly what preseason bettors want to see in Week 1: production from multiple levels of the depth chart. The Chargers scored 27 points, won by 20 and received productive quarterback play after the starters were held out.

Lance's interception keeps his performance from being spotless, but 164 passing yards on 20 attempts gave Los Angeles legitimate downfield production. Uiagalelei then averaged 13.3 yards per attempt while throwing for 120 yards on only nine attempts. Together, the two quarterbacks produced 275 passing yards.

That quarterback depth is one of the biggest reasons to prefer Los Angeles in this matchup. The Chargers already demonstrated that their reserve offense can generate points, while San Francisco enters Week 2 dealing with uncertainty surrounding the quarterback who was most efficient in its opener.

Los Angeles also has the benefit of playing at SoFi Stadium after opening on the road. Home field doesn't carry the same weight during the preseason as it does once the regular season begins, but with such a small spread, every marginal advantage matters.

San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Chargers Picks and Prediction

Pick: Los Angeles Chargers -1.5

I'll take Los Angeles -1.5 in this matchup. San Francisco's opening loss wasn't as poor as the scoreboard suggests, especially considering the 49ers finished with a 322-279 advantage in total yardage. However, Rourke's injury removes some of the quarterback certainty that San Francisco appeared to have after his 12-of-14 performance.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, already showed that it can receive competent production from multiple quarterbacks. Lance moved the football for 164 passing yards, while Uiagalelei produced 120 yards and a touchdown on only nine attempts. With the spread sitting below a field goal, the Chargers' quarterback depth and stronger Week 1 performance make them my preferred side.

Pick: Under 39.5

The second selection is Under 39.5. San Francisco's opener produced only 32 combined points, with the 49ers scoring 13 despite accumulating 322 yards. Los Angeles scored 27 against Houston, but the Texans contributed only seven points to that game.

San Francisco's quarterback situation also pushes me slightly toward the under. If Rourke doesn't play and the 49ers continue protecting most of their established offensive starters, San Francisco could again struggle to turn yardage into touchdowns. The market has also shown an early preference toward the under, making 39.5 a number I would play before it potentially falls further.

Prediction: Los Angeles Chargers 21, San Francisco 49ers 16

Best Bet: Los Angeles Chargers -1.5