Overview
- The Rams announced Tuesday that Aaron Donald will not travel to Melbourne and is ruled out for Week 1, leaving Myles Garrett to lead Los Angeles’s pass rush and interior pressure plans.
- San Francisco lost defensive tackle Alfred Collins to a torn patellar tendon that will end his 2026 season, forcing backups C.J. West and rookie Gracen Halton into larger roles on the interior defensive line.
- George Kittle has been cleared off the injury report and is scheduled to play, and Nick Bosa is expected to be available after ACL recovery, giving the 49ers key veterans for the opener.
- The teams adopted contrasting travel strategies — the 49ers arrived about a week early to acclimate while the Rams flew in close to kickoff — a live experiment that could affect player performance during the game.
- Kickoff is set for the Melbourne Cricket Ground with exclusive streaming on Netflix, and pregame betting markets favor the Rams, reflecting how player availability and roster moves have shifted expectations.