The Miami Dolphins visit the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. San Francisco is 1-0 after a 27-7 win over the Rams in Melbourne, while Miami is 0-1 following a 27-13 loss to the Raiders.
San Francisco controlled its opener from the jump. Brock Purdy completed 25 of 34 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns, and the 49ers held Los Angeles to seven points in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia.
Miami’s debut under first-year coaching was a tougher night. Malik Willis threw for 185 yards and added 39 on the ground with the Dolphins’ only touchdown, but Miami managed just 74 rushing yards, converted 2 of 10 third downs, and allowed five sacks in the loss at Las Vegas.
The 49ers are 13.5-point favorites over the Dolphins, with a total of 45.5 and a moneyline of -971 for the 49ers and +634 for the Dolphins.
How to Watch Dolphins vs. 49ers
- When: Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 4:25 p.m. ET
- Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
- TV: FOX
- Stream: Watch 3 days free on FOX One
Players To Watch
San Francisco’s passing game is one of the clearest pressure points in this matchup, and Purdy is coming off an efficient opener that showed how quickly he can put a defense on its heels. In the Week 1 win, he threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns, completed 25 of 34 passes, and posted a 105.6 passer rating.
The contrast with Miami’s takeaway ability sharpens the assignment. The Dolphins picked off two passes in their opener, tied for second in the league through Week 1, so Purdy’s decision-making matters on every dropback. Keeping the ball out of danger and staying sharp on third down is how San Francisco controls the game flow early.
When this game shifts to efficiency and down-to-down control, McCaffrey becomes central to everything the 49ers want to do. He opened the season with 68 rushing yards on 10 carries and added five catches for 20 yards, a reminder that his impact stretches well beyond handoffs.
This matchup lines up with one of San Francisco’s clearest early strengths. Through one game, the 49ers are averaging 5.8 yards per rush, second best in the league, and 174 rushing yards per game. Miami allowed 27 points in its opener, so a productive McCaffrey would give San Francisco a steady way to stay ahead of the chains and keep the full playbook open.
Miami signed Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal that made him the Dolphins’ starting quarterback for 2026 after releasing Tua Tagovailoa. For Miami, this game starts with whether Willis can create enough offense against a defense that looked suffocating in Week 1. He led the Dolphins with 220 total yards in the opener, throwing for 185 and adding 39 on the ground with the team’s only touchdown.
His mobility is the reason he belongs near the top of this list. Miami gave up five sacks and converted only two of 10 third downs in its first game, so Willis may need to manufacture offense when the structure breaks down. That challenge gets steeper against a 49ers defense that allowed only seven points in Week 1 and forced two takeaways. Extending drives with his legs and avoiding the negative plays that stalled Miami last week gives the Dolphins their best path to staying competitive into the second half.
If Miami is going to settle the game down and avoid putting everything on its quarterback, Achane figures to be a major part of that plan. The Dolphins managed 74 rushing yards in Week 1 and scored their lone touchdown on the ground, which makes the run game a real swing factor entering this matchup.
Achane is worth watching because San Francisco’s defense set a brutal standard in its opener. The 49ers gave up only seven points, ranked first in points allowed per game after Week 1, and added eight quarterback hits, so Miami needs a back who can create cleaner situations before obvious passing downs arrive. A productive day from Achane would help the Dolphins shorten third downs, reduce pressure on Willis, and keep San Francisco’s defense from dictating every series.
Dolphins vs. 49ers Odds
Check out the full NFL schedule on FOX Sports.
Read the full article here
