49ers at Chargers: Week 15 preview, odds and injuries

Week 15 · Thu, Dec 17 · SoFi Stadium8:15 PM ET

at8:15 PMET · Prime Video

At a glanceUpdated Nov 10, 2026, 9:41 PM ET

The San Francisco 49ers (7-1) visit the Los Angeles Chargers (0-8) on Thu, Dec 17, 8:15 PM ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA (Week 15, 2026 season), on Prime Video.

When and where is 49ers vs Chargers?

Thu, Dec 17, 8:15 PM ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. TV: Prime Video.

Who is injured for 49ers vs Chargers?

49ers: Brandon Aiyuk (WR, out, personal), Deebo Samuel Sr. (WR, questionable, hamstring), Deommodore Lenoir (CB, questionable, foot), Mike Evans (WR, questionable, achilles) and Renardo Green (CB, questionable, back). Chargers: Brenen Thompson (WR, questionable, quadriceps), Deane Leonard (CB, questionable, concussion), Isas Waxter (CB, questionable, ankle), Justin Eboigbe (DT, questionable, ankle), Justin Herbert (QB, questionable, finger) and Kayode Awosika (G, questionable, lower leg) (plus 2 more).

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “49ers at Chargers: Week 15 preview”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2026-12-17-sf-at-lac (updated 2026-11-11).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

Regular season through week 14 · rank out of 32

Where this game will be decided

149ers run defense vs Chargers run game
The 49ers' run defense ranks 1st in EPA per rush (-0.18 allowed, 181 rushes faced) and faces a Chargers run game ranked 32nd (-0.25, 201 rushes).
32ndLAC offense31 spots apart1stSF defense
249ers defense against big plays vs Chargers big-play offense
The 49ers' defense against big plays ranks 1st in explosive-play rate (4.8% allowed, 481 plays faced) and faces a Chargers big-play offense ranked 26th (7.8%, 497 plays).
26thLAC offense25 spots apart1stSF defense
349ers pass protection vs Chargers pass rush
The 49ers' pass protection ranks 1st in sack rate (3.1% sacked, 262 dropbacks) against a Chargers pass rush ranked 25th (5.1% of dropbacks, 255 dropbacks faced).
1stSF offense24 spots apart25thLAC defense

When the 49ers have the ballEdge SF · +17 ranks

SF dropback offenseEPA per dropbackLAC pass defense

1st+0.31262 dropbacks

SF +17

+0.06 allowed255 dropbacks faced18th

SF run gameEPA per rushLAC run defense

3rd+0.02205 rushes

SF +17

-0.06 allowed218 rushes faced20th

Dropbacks include sacks and scrambles; rushes are designed runs. What EPA measures.

When the Chargers have the ballEdge SF · +31 ranks

LAC dropback offenseEPA per dropbackSF pass defense

32nd-0.24296 dropbacks

SF +21

-0.01 allowed300 dropbacks faced11th

LAC run gameEPA per rushSF run defense

32nd-0.25201 rushes

SF +31

-0.18 allowed181 rushes faced1st

Third downEdge SF · +10 ranks

SF third-down offensethird-down conversion rateLAC third-down defense

2nd52.3%88 third downs

35.1% allowed97 third downs faced7th

LAC third-down offensethird-down conversion rateSF third-down defense

27th36.0%114 third downs

SF +10

40.8% allowed103 third downs faced17th

Conversions are third-down snaps that gained a first down or scored.

Red zoneEdge SF · +21 ranks

SF red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateLAC red-zone defense

1st85%27 trips

SF +12

53% allowed32 trips faced13th

LAC red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateSF red-zone defense

29th47%19 trips

SF +21

48% allowed25 trips faced8th

A trip is a drive with at least one snap inside the opponent's 20; the rate is trips that ended in an offensive touchdown. Small samples swing fast here.

Explosive playsEdge SF · +25 ranks

SF big-play offenseexplosive-play rateLAC defense against big plays

2nd12.6%467 plays

SF +23

10.1% allowed473 plays faced25th

LAC big-play offenseexplosive-play rateSF defense against big plays

26th7.8%497 plays

SF +25

4.8% allowed481 plays faced1st

Completions of 20+ yards and runs of 10+, per snap. Definition.

Pressure & sacksEdge SF · +24 ranks

SF pass protectionsack rateLAC pass rush

1st3.1% sacked262 dropbacks

SF +24

5.1% of dropbacks255 dropbacks faced25th

LAC pass protectionsack rateSF pass rush

31st10.5% sacked296 dropbacks

5.0% of dropbacks300 dropbacks faced27th

Sacks per dropback. The public play-by-play has no pressure charting, so this is the sack side of it only.

TurnoversEdge SF · +22 ranks

SF ball securityturnovers per gameLAC takeaway defense

16th1.1 giveaways a game8 games

1.4 takeaways a game8 games10th

LAC ball securityturnovers per gameSF takeaway defense

32nd2.3 giveaways a game8 games

SF +22

1.4 takeaways a game8 games10th

Interceptions and lost fumbles on offensive snaps, per game. Turnover rates are among the least stable numbers in football.

AbsencesSF 0 · LAC 0 regulars out or doubtful

49ers5 listed

0 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QRenardo GreenCB97% defense · 8 wk
QDeommodore LenoirCB95% defense · 8 wk
QDeebo Samuel Sr.WR58% offense · 5 wk
QMike EvansWR54% offense · 6 wk
OUTBrandon AiyukWRno snaps

Chargers8 listed

0 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QJustin HerbertQB97% offense · 8 wk
QKayode AwosikaG69% offense · 2 wk
QLadd McConkeyWR53% offense · 6 wk
QJustin EboigbeDT47% defense · 8 wk
QDeane LeonardCB32% defense · 4 wk
QIsas WaxterCB26% defense · 4 wk
QBrenen ThompsonWR18% offense · 2 wk
QKendall WilliamsonSno snaps

Snap share is the average of the weeks each player was on the field this season. Full injury report ↓

Rest & travelSame rest · SF travels 314 mi

Away49ers

4days since last game

314miles to get here

0time zones

Last: Sun wk 14 vs LAR · 21,378 mi flown this season

Thursday after Sunday

Rest edgeEvensame restTravel gap 314 mi

HomeChargers

4days since last game

0miles · home

0time zones

Last: Sun wk 14 at LV · Las Vegas · 9,074 mi flown this season

Thursday after Sunday

League splits for these situations ↓

Sample: SF 8 games, 467 offensive and 481 defensive plays · LAC 8 games, 497 offensive and 473 defensive plays. Rank 1 is the best offense or the best defense in each stat. Keys are the largest rank gaps (12+ spots) between an offense and the defense it faces, one per stat. Ranks are not schedule-adjusted.

Season to date · rank out of 32