49ers 35, Dolphins 13: McCaffrey Hits 100, Purdy Hits Almost Everything

September 20, 2026 - Santa Clara - The first drive at Levi's Stadium this year lasted 12 plays and 59 yards. It ended the way San Francisco wanted the next four to end too: Christian McCaffrey from a yard.

The San Francisco 49ers beat the Miami Dolphins 35-13 in the home opener, a Super Bowl XIX rematch, and scored touchdowns on their first five possessions. They are 2-0. Miami is 0-2. It is the first time in franchise history the 49ers have opened with back-to-back wins of at least 20 points, one week after 27-7 in Melbourne.

Brock Purdy completed 20 of 22 for 287 yards, two touchdown passes, and a 2-yard rushing score. He hit 18 straight at one point. NBC Sports Bay Area had him at a 149.1 rating. He also led the team in rushing with 30 yards on three carries.

Five drives, five touchdowns

McCaffrey's first 1-yard run was career touchdown No. 99. He caught 11- and 16-yard balls on that opening possession. Miami answered with a miss. Riley Patterson pushed a 51-yarder wide, then later settled for 28 and 24 from the red zone. That was the half: 14-6, because San Francisco finished and Miami did not.

The second 49ers touchdown was Purdy. He scrambled 10, then 18, hit Demarcus Robinson for 19, and walked in from 2. 14-3, then 14-6 after Patterson's second field goal.

The third quarter was the part that turned a lead into a rout. George Kittle had not been targeted in the first half. Purdy hit him for 40, then 12 for the score. 21-6. The next drive ended with Kyle Juszczyk from 6 yards, a copy of Purdy's first career touchdown pass, which was also to Juszczyk against these Dolphins in December 2022. 28-6.

Mike Evans then gained 27 to the 1. McCaffrey leaped in for No. 100 in his 114th game. Only LaDainian Tomlinson (89 games), Emmitt Smith (93), and Shaun Alexander (96) got there faster in the Super Bowl era. 35-6. McCaffrey finished with 10 carries for 23 yards and those two scores, plus four catches for 43. The volume was small. The math was not.

Willis, a 77-yarder, and still 0-2

Malik Willis started for Miami and completed 14 of 23 for 197 yards and one score. That score was Ryan Miller from 77 yards late, after the 49ers had already put five touchdowns on the board. De'Von Achane ran 20 times for 74 and caught three for 19. It was honest work in a game that was over in the third.

Miami spent the week practicing in Napa after losing in Las Vegas. Avoiding the travel did not help. ESPN noted the Dolphins came into the season with more than $180 million in dead money on the salary cap. Eddy Pineiro was 5-for-5 on extra points and did not need a field goal. Kittle caught four for 80. Juszczyk had two for 27 and the 6-yarder.

Keion White had a sack. Fred Warner had a half-sack and a forced fumble. Nick Bosa did not need a huge individual line. The offense never punted the lead away. Five possessions. Five touchdowns. Then kneel-downs and a long consolation throw.

AthX Engine on an 18-in-a-row night

AthX Engine NFL scoring already has the Week 2 lines in. Purdy's 287 yards, two passing scores, and rushing touchdown land at 48.46, the top total in this game. White is 33.00 on the IDP card. Kittle is 32.00. McCaffrey is 30.50. Miller's 77-yard score is 25.75. Achane is 24.75. Willis is 23.26. San Francisco's team line is 99.25.

Fantasy points measure the box. Price is what traders will pay for McCaffrey's 100th and for a quarterback who missed twice. They move together. They are not the same number.

Track Purdy, McCaffrey, Kittle, Achane, and both clubs on the marketplace. Kansas City visits Miami on Sept. 27. Arizona visits Santa Clara later that afternoon.

*Sources: AP recap (ESPN), 49ers.com, NBC Sports Bay Area. AthX Engine Week 2 lines scored from nflverse weekly stats. Information only; not financial advice.*