How to watch the Raiders vs. 49ers preseason game

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan set an expectation of limited playing time for presumptive starting quarterback Brock Purdy in Sunday’s preseason opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Purdy not playing in the game or being limited to a series opens the door for extended action from Sam Darnold, who’s competing with Trey Lance for the backup quarterback role.

Darnold was the No. 3 overall selection by the New York Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft. He started 55 games in three seasons with the Jets, recently two with the Carolina Panthers, and threw 55 interceptions.

Shanahan has a reputation as a quarterback guru and believes Darnold’s best effort is yet to come.

“I think Sam’s gotten better each practice. It’s his first time in this offense,” Shanahan told reporters after Wednesday’s joint practice with the Raiders. “I’ve been encouraged with just how he spits the plays out, how he can call them, where he is now compared to the first couple of days. He doesn’t seem like it’s his first time going through it, so he’s getting better each week and more comfortable. I’m excited to see him in some of these games.”

The 49ers likely want as many quarterback options as possible this season after last season’s injuries to Lance (broken ankle in Week 2), Jimmy Garoppolo (broken foot in Week 12) and the rookie Purdy (torn elbow ligament in the NFC Championship Game).

Shanahan revealed this week that if his team had advanced to Super Bowl LVII, they would’ve called longtime Chargers star Philip Rivers. Rivers hasn’t played in a game since 2020 and officially retired on January 20, 2021, to coach high school football in his Alabama hometown.

Purdy finished the NFC title game with an injury to his throwing arm, making throwing nearly impossible. The 49ers ran out of healthy quarterbacks and couldn’t overcome the Eagles’ onslaught.

According to media reports, Raiders star receiver Davante Adams exited Friday’s practice early with a leg injury. Raider head coach Josh McDaniels said he didn’t believe the injury was severe. However, it likely completely rules out any chance of the Raiders playing Adams in the first preseason game.

McDaniels is in his second year as the Raiders coach. He’s hoping to improve on last season’s 6-11 finish despite playing in a division with the defending NFL champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Los Angeles Chargers also made the playoffs from the tough AFC West.

Expect to see only a few of the Raiders’ starters for over a series against the 49ers.

TV channel, streaming options

The San Francisco 49ers play the Las Vegas Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Allegiant Stadium. The game will air on NFL Network. Streaming options are also available at fuboTV, Hulu and other platforms.

Betting odds for 49ers vs. Raiders

Several sportsbooks have the 49ers favored by 3.5 points against the Raiders. The over/under for the game is 35.5 points.