The San Francisco 49ers are coming out of their bye week on a high after they beat the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8. The 49ers are hoping to extend their mastery of the Los Angeles teams when they host the Chargers at home in Week 10 of the 2022 NFL season. A win here will keep the 49ers within striking distance of first place in the NFC West. Here are our 49ers Week 10 predictions as they take on the Chargers.
Following back-to-back defeats, the 49ers returned to their winning ways in Week 9 with a decisive triumph against the Rams. Christian McCaffrey had a fantastic day, gaining 149 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns on 26 attempts and even completing a 34-yard passing score to Brandon Aiyuk.
Meanwhile, the Chargers have been one of the NFL's hottest teams of late. They have won four of their past five games, including a 20-17 victory against the Atlanta Falcons last week.
With all these in mind, here are our five bold predictions for the 49ers in their Week 10 game against the Chargers.
Back in the lab. #LACvsSF
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 11, 2022
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5. Jimmy Garoppolo goes for 240+ yards
Before the bye week, 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo passed for 235 yards and two touchdowns against the Rams. Keep in mind that Garoppolo has had 538 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in two weeks with McCaffrey in the offense. He should also get Deebo Samuel back this week.
In Week 10, Jimmy G will face a Chargers defense that has had some success containing opposing quarterbacks. Since Joey Bosa's injury, the Chargers have also struggled to establish pressure on opposing passers. As such, Garoppolo should have a good chance to put up 240+ yards and two touchdowns.
4. Brandon Aiyuk with 60+ yards from scrimmage
San Francisco WR Brandon Aiyuk caught all six of his targets before the bye last week against the Rams. He collected 81 yards and scored his fourth touchdown of the season. He now has 28 total targets and at least 80 yards in each of his last three games.
The Chargers have been middle-of-the-pack in terms of limiting opposing receivers. We expect Aiyuk to have a pretty busy workload here. We don't think he'll get another TD, but it should be very easy for him to get 60+ yards from scrimmage.
3. Christian McCaffrey with another 105+ yard game
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey scored a ton against the Rams in Week 8. He also rushed for 94 yards and caught eight passes for 55 yards. This is the type of productivity that has made him a fan favorite, and he appears to have fit in wonderfully with the 49ers.
He will face a pretty weak Chargers rush defense here, which opens the door for an explosive outing. While another trio of touchdowns is unlikely, CMC should net 105+ yards without much trouble in Week 10.
2. Deebo Samuel returns with aplomb
Deebo Samuel did not play against the Rams before the bye week, but he is scheduled to return this week. He grabbed five passes for 42 yards against the Chiefs the last time we saw him. We'll see how McCaffrey's acquisition impacts Samuel's productivity in Week 10
Keep in mind that even if McCaffrey ends up doing some of his groundwork, expect Samuel to get his customary full dosage of targets. We have him going 55+ yards from scrimmage and recording his third touchdown of the season.
1. Niners rule Los Angeles
The 49ers have the advantage of being well-rested after last week's bye. They must now exploit a Chargers defense that allows 159.5 running yards per road game. That is the third-worst mark in the league so far.
With the 49ers playing at home, we also anticipate them to give McCaffrey the ball early and frequently. After all, he's averaging 5.2 running yards per carry over his previous three games. Furthermore, fellow RB Elijah Mitchell has been activated off the injured reserve, providing San Francisco with yet another lethal rushing weapon.
It will also be difficult for the Chargers to thrive without their top two wide receivers. Mike Williams has already been ruled out with an ankle ailment, while Keenan Allen has yet to practice this week due to a hamstring injury. As good as quarterback Justin Herbert and running back Austin Ekeler are, they can't carry this team by themselves.
As such, we have the 49ers finishing off a clean sweep of their Los Angeles foes. They will win here by two scores or more.
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