The San Francisco 49ers had a nice 26-21 win over the New Orleans Saints over the weekend, staying ahead of their opponent by one or two scores for much of the game en route to a road victory.

It was the type of game that San Francisco wasn’t able to carve out last season. Working with a backup quarterback and with some key players injured, it was a good moment for the youth-laden team, providing an early litmus test.

Heading into the year, it was no surprise that the 49ers were going to rely more on their younger players, especially after having a quiet offseason and drafting 11 rookies. In fact, head coach Kyle Shanahan held a veterans-only meeting with certain key players on the team, acknowledging the need for development and patience with the younger guys this offseason.

That plan

See Full Page