Kyle Shanahan Elaborates on Rotation Between Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance

Trey Lance has shorter MVP odds than Teddy Bridgewater, and better Offensive Rookie of the Year odds than Ja’Marr Chase, Zach Wilson, Kyle Pitts and Najee Harris, but the San Francisco 49ers quarterback isn’t even a starter. 

The 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan used Lance in Week 1 of the NFL season, and the rookie threw a touchdown pass to help the 49ers beat the Detroit Lions. While Lance appeared to have a role until he became the starter, that isn’t the case. 

Shanahan explained how he goes about deciding whether or not to use Lance after the rookie, who is +600 to win Offensive Rookie of the Year at WynnBET, didn’t play in the team’s Week 2 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. 

"No, I never have a plan that, 'Hey, I'm going to use him, or I'm not going to use him,'" Shanahan said. "It's always an option throughout the game. It's been two games, and I've never had him in the openers, and I've never had him as a designated time. I plan on doing that week-to-week and whenever I feel like putting him in. You saw when I did in Week 1, and I never got that urge in Week 2."

Shanahan isn’t going to force Lance into games, and with Jimmy Garoppolo leading the team to an 2-0 start, this seems like a perfect time to fade Lance and potentially grab a player like Chase (who has two touchdown catches in two games) at longer odds before Lance falls. 

The 49ers will take on the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 in what is a rematch of the 2019 NFC Championship Game. Lance could end up seeing the field at some point in that matchup, but it appears he’s truly going to learn the ropes behind Garoppolo this season. 

Chase (+750), Harris (+1000) and even Wilson (+1000) are all better bets to win Offensive Rookie of the Year because of their direct path to playing time. 

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