The San Francisco 49ers play football on Saturday!

Their preseason slate opens with a 4:00pm Pacific Time kickoff against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.

Having the 49ers back on the field facing a different team will be fun and it's another sign that regular season football is just around the corner. On the other hand, it won't look like the 49ers. Most of the team's starters aren't expected to play, and the ones that do won't be in the game for very long.

Saturday's game won't count in the standings, but there will be plenty of reason to watch. Here are things to look for when San Francisco faces Tennessee in the preseason opener:

Backup QB battle

Brandon Allen has been leading the way in the backup quarterback battle thanks to his knowledge of the offense after spending all of last season with San Francisco. Josh Dobbs is starting to get more comfortable, though. Game action will be the first chance for Dobbs to make a move on the QB2 job.

Kickoffs, kick returns, et. al

There's a lot to watch on kickoffs! The 49ers have been practicing a handful of different kickoff strategies. They've also been trying out a bunch of different kick return combinations. It's unlikely any team will divulge their full plan for the new kickoff rules in the preseason, but Saturday should give us a glimpse into how the 49ers plan to handle it from a personnel standpoint.

The young LBs

Second-year linebackers Dee Winters and Jalen Graham have been an intriguing aspect of camp for the 49ers. Both players appear primed to take on bigger roles in San Francisco's defense, but neither has made major headway on finding a starting job. It appears only the Sam LB spot is up for grabs. Winters and Graham are behind veterans Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Curtis Robinson for that job going into the preseason opener. There's a chance Graham and Winters are both ahead of that duo by the time the preseason ends.

A rookie on the OL

Dominick Puni has taken hold of the starting right guard spot after injuries pushed him quickly up the depth chart. He hasn't done anything to lose his grip on it, but games divulge a lot more about offensive linemen than practice does. Saturday night could either open the right guard competition up, or Puni could put a stranglehold on the job with a good outing.

A rookie in the secondary

Keep a close eye on second-round cornerback Renardo Green. He's been playing inside a lot in camp after not playing there in college. Versatility may be his path to a starting job. He could wind up being the nickel back if he acquits himself well in the slot against an opposing offense. A key for him will be avoiding penalties since overaggressiveness has been an issue for him at times in camp according to reports from the team facility.

An undrafted rookie

Injuries have already hit the 49ers' backfield. Christian McCaffrey has a calf injury. Fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo hasn't participated in camp because of a hamstring injury. And Elijah Mitchell has missed the last few practices. That could leave the door wide open for undrafted rookie running back Cody Schrader. He's had a nice camp and his college production gives some optimism that he could be the next undrafted RB success for the 49ers.

The other pass rushers

Nick Bosa may not play a preseason snap. Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos may be in the same boat. The 49ers have plenty to figure out with their pass rush, though. Robert Beal Jr. could be primed for a breakout second season. Austin Bryant will also have a chance to carve out a role. San Francisco needs depth on the edges, so any productivity from any DE in Saturday's game will be a welcome sight for the 49ers coaching staff.

Where's Brandon Aiyuk?

It's unclear whether Aiyuk will attend the game in Nashville, although it stands to reason he wouldn't travel with the club as part of his hold-in for a new contract. Given how wild the Aiyuk saga has been we're not taking anything off the table. If he's on the sideline with his teammates, it'll be a not bad sign. It would make sense though if he's not at Nissan Stadium at all.

This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 8 things to watch for in 49ers preseason opener vs. Titans