Los Angeles Chargers vs 49ers has become a recurring preseason tune-up between two organizations testing their quarterback depth and roster bubble players, with San Francisco taking the most recent meetings in both August 2025 and August 2026. Trey Lance’s continued audition for a Chargers backup role and a stable of 49ers rookies making strong first impressions defined a series more about roster evaluation than championship stakes.
This article breaks down the recent preseason meetings between these two teams, the top individual performances from both rosters, and what these results revealed about each franchise’s depth heading into their respective regular seasons. Every stat below comes from official box scores and season reports.
Quick Team Snapshot
| Team | 2025 Preseason Result | Key Storyline | Head-to-Head History |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | Won 30-23 | Rookie WR De’Zhaun Stribling stood out | Series tied 8-8 all-time |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Lost 30-23 | Trey Lance’s backup QB audition | 1 postseason meeting |
San Francisco has won the two most recent preseason meetings between these teams, using the games to evaluate rookie talent and quarterback depth ahead of the regular season.
San Francisco 49ers Key Player Stats
De’Zhaun Stribling: A Standout Rookie Debut
Wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling delivered one of the most eye catching individual performances of San Francisco’s entire preseason slate, leading all players with seven receptions for 63 yards in his NFL preseason debut. That kind of productive first outing came at an important time for the 49ers, given the litany of injuries the receiving corps was dealing with heading into the 2025 season, elevating Stribling from a name to watch into a legitimate roster contributor.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan’s decision to get starting quarterback Brock Purdy extended playing time in this particular preseason matchup reflected the organization’s desire to build chemistry between its top passer and emerging young targets like Stribling before the games began to count. That kind of deliberate preseason planning paid dividends in giving San Francisco a clearer picture of its receiving depth heading into a season that would ultimately test that unit’s durability.
A Complete Team Performance in the Finale
San Francisco’s 30-23 win in the August 2025 preseason finale reflected a broader pattern of complementary football, with the 49ers outgaining the Chargers 321 total yards to 238 while forcing four turnovers compared to their own two giveaways. That kind of statistical dominance across most major categories showed a roster that, even in exhibition play, had built the underlying habits of a disciplined, well coached team.
San Francisco followed up that preseason form with an even more lopsided result in the 2026 preseason rematch, winning 41-17 to extend the team’s recent dominance in this particular series. That continued success against a quality opponent, even in games without playoff stakes, offered encouraging signs about the organization’s overall roster depth and coaching execution heading into consecutive regular seasons.
Los Angeles Chargers Key Player Stats
Trey Lance’s Ongoing Backup Quarterback Audition
Quarterback Trey Lance, in his first season with the Chargers as he worked to earn the backup role behind Justin Herbert, finished 5 of 8 for 38 yards against a 49ers defense playing without most of its starters. Lance struggled to generate consistent offense, throwing incomplete passes on third down to end his first two drives in three and outs, though he did finish the preseason without a single turnover across his various appearances. Full details from that game are available through CBS Sports’ game recap.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh, while not ready to name a definitive backup following this performance, spoke positively about Lance’s potential, noting his age and skill set made him an intriguing developmental option even amid the uneven statistical output. That kind of patient organizational evaluation reflected the Chargers’ broader approach to building quarterback depth behind an established starter in Herbert.
DJ Uiagalelei and Oronde Gadsden Provide a Spark
In an earlier preseason meeting between these two teams, quarterback DJ Uiagalelei completed 16 of 31 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with tight end Oronde Gadsden on a scoring play that finished with 46 total yards on three catches. That kind of productive outing for Los Angeles’ developmental quarterback options showed genuine promise, even in a game the Chargers ultimately lost.
Kicker Cameron Dicker also factored significantly into that contest, going a perfect 3 for 3 on field goal attempts from 52, 37, and 27 yards, showing off the same kind of reliable long range accuracy that has made him one of the more dependable specialists in the league. That combination of quarterback development and consistent placekicking gave the Chargers coaching staff useful, if ultimately secondary, positive takeaways even from a losing effort.
Chargers vs 49ers: Key Player Stats at a Glance
| Player | Team | Stat Line | Context | Notable Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| De’Zhaun Stribling | 49ers | 7 catches, 63 yards | Preseason debut | Rookie standout amid injuries |
| Trey Lance | Chargers | 5/8, 38 yards | Limited production | Backup QB competition |
| DJ Uiagalelei | Chargers | 16/31, 170 yards, 2 TD | Earlier preseason meeting | Developmental QB progress |
| Cameron Dicker | Chargers | 3/3 field goals | Long range accuracy | Reliable specialist |
Note: All figures reflect preseason meetings between these two teams from August 2025, since both organizations rested most primary starters throughout these particular games.
Team Comparison
These preseason meetings reflected two organizations at different points in their roster construction, with San Francisco using the games primarily to evaluate depth and rookie contributors around an already established core, while Los Angeles focused more heavily on developing quarterback options behind Herbert. That difference in organizational priority showed up clearly in how each team approached playing time distribution across these preseason contests.
San Francisco’s more complete statistical performances across both recent meetings reflected the kind of organizational depth and coaching discipline that has made the 49ers a perennial contender in recent seasons. Los Angeles’ focus on quarterback development, while producing a decisive statistical loss in the head to head results, served the specific organizational purpose of building confidence and game experience for options like Lance and Uiagalelei heading into their respective regular seasons.
Head to Head History
The 49ers and Chargers have played 16 times including one postseason meeting, with the series tied at eight wins apiece heading into these most recent preseason contests. That balanced historical record reflects a rivalry that has remained competitive across different eras, even though San Francisco’s recent preseason dominance has shifted momentum in the 49ers’ favor for the time being.
Recent Matchup Recap
The August 2025 preseason finale saw San Francisco control most phases of the game, building a 30-23 win behind Stribling’s standout receiving performance and a defense that forced four Chargers turnovers. That result came after an earlier preseason meeting where Los Angeles’ Uiagalelei showed promising development, throwing two touchdown passes even in a losing effort.
San Francisco extended its recent dominance in the 2026 preseason with an even more decisive 41-17 win, continuing a pattern of complete team performances against Los Angeles in exhibition play. That consistency across multiple preseason meetings suggested genuine organizational strength for San Francisco, even in games that carry limited direct bearing on regular season outcomes.
What to Watch Next
For the 49ers, continuing to develop rookie contributors like Stribling while maintaining the kind of complementary, disciplined football shown across these preseason meetings will be important heading into the regular season, particularly given the receiving corps injuries that made rookie development especially urgent in 2025. San Francisco’s coaching staff will look to translate this preseason success into sustained regular season execution.
For the Chargers, resolving the backup quarterback competition between Lance and other options behind Herbert remains an important organizational question. Continued development from Lance, even amid modest preseason statistical production, offers Los Angeles a developmental option worth monitoring, while Dicker’s continued reliability at kicker gives the team a dependable special teams anchor regardless of how the quarterback competition resolves.
The Value of Preseason Quarterback Evaluation
Both organizations used these preseason meetings to gather crucial evaluation data on their respective backup quarterback situations, a process that carries genuine long term significance even though the games themselves hold no bearing on regular season standings. Los Angeles’ extended look at both Lance and Uiagalelei reflected the kind of thorough quarterback room evaluation that helps a coaching staff make informed decisions about roster construction and potential in season injury contingency plans.
San Francisco’s approach, resting Purdy for extended stretches while giving rookies like Stribling meaningful game action, reflected a similarly deliberate evaluation philosophy focused on identifying which young players were ready to contribute immediately once the regular season began. That kind of structured, purposeful preseason planning from both organizations offered a useful case study in how modern NFL teams balance competitive instincts against long term roster development goals during exhibition play.
Jim Harbaugh’s Quarterback Development Philosophy
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh’s approach to evaluating backup quarterback talent reflected his broader coaching philosophy of identifying and developing physical, high upside talent regardless of a player’s specific draft pedigree or previous track record. His comments praising Lance’s age and skill set, even following a statistically modest preseason performance, showed a coach willing to invest patience in developing a player many analysts had already written off following his earlier struggles with San Francisco.
That kind of patient development approach could pay significant dividends if Lance’s continued growth eventually translates into a reliable backup option capable of stepping in during an injury to Herbert. Harbaugh’s track record of successfully developing quarterback talent throughout his coaching career suggests this evaluation process, while producing modest preseason statistics, may ultimately prove valuable for the Chargers organization’s broader quarterback depth planning.
Conclusion
Los Angeles Chargers vs 49ers has recently become a one sided preseason series, with San Francisco winning both the August 2025 and August 2026 meetings behind complete team performances and standout rookie contributions from players like De’Zhaun Stribling. Los Angeles used these games primarily to develop its quarterback depth behind Justin Herbert, with Trey Lance and DJ Uiagalelei both getting valuable extended playing time even in losing efforts.
With San Francisco building organizational depth around an established core and Los Angeles continuing to evaluate its options behind Herbert, this preseason series offered useful evaluation data for both franchises heading into their respective regular season campaigns.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the result of the most recent Chargers vs 49ers preseason games?
San Francisco won both the August 2025 meeting 30-23 and the August 2026 rematch 41-17, extending the team’s recent dominance in this preseason series.
Who stood out for San Francisco in the 2025 preseason finale?
Rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling led all players with seven receptions for 63 yards in his NFL preseason debut.
How did Trey Lance perform in his Chargers preseason audition?
Lance completed 5 of 8 passes for 38 yards, finishing the preseason without a turnover as he continued competing for a backup role behind Justin Herbert.
What is the all-time head-to-head record between the 49ers and Chargers?
The series is tied at 8 wins apiece across 16 all-time meetings, including one postseason matchup.
How did Cameron Dicker perform in these preseason meetings?
Dicker connected on all three of his field goal attempts in one meeting, hitting from 52, 37, and 27 yards, showing the long-range accuracy that has made him a reliable Chargers specialist.
