Will Brock Purdy start for 49ers, challenge for MVP? Odds, predictions

Last updated: 2023/08/11 at 2:58 PM

BigP Published August 11, 2023

The San Francisco 49ers released their depth chart on Tuesday, and the name slotted next to QB might come as a shock to some and a relief to others.

Brock Purdy appears to be the starter in the Bay Area entering this season after having surgery on a torn UCL this offseason. And even though this doesn’t appear to be the coaches’ depth chart, the sportsbooks seem confident that Purdy will indeed start over both Trey Lance and Sam Darnold.

FanDuel Sportsbook has Purdy at +220 to throw 30 or more touchdowns in the regular season. And although his MVP odds are long (+4000), he is tied with Denver’s Russell Wilson and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett with the 16th-best odds to win the award. For context, Lance — who began last season as the Niners’ starter before suffering a season-ending ankle fracture — is at +9000.

Furthermore, San Francisco’s superstar offensive tackle Trent Williams made it clear this week that he believes Purdy will be the starter entering the season.

“Nobody in his position is technically competing for anything after [what Purdy did] last year,” Williams told The Athletic this week.

Chris Broussard said on Tuesday’s “First Things First” that he is in the same camp as Williams, positing that Purdy should be the starter next season, barring him getting beat out in camp.

“Brock Purdy led them to seven wins in eight games? I’m not gonna sit here and say he’s definitely gonna be a star, but Brock Purdy earned this. What I’ve been saying since last season was Brock Purdy should enter training camp as the No. 1 quarterback. … That dude won the locker room.”