The 49ers aren’t likely to play a ton of their starters in Week 2 of the preseason. That means players who aren’t locked into either starting jobs or roster spots will get a ton of valuable looks in their quest to secure a job.

We went through and identified the six players we’re most interested in watching Saturday night when the 49ers and Vikings face off at US Bank Stadium. There’s one player in each level of the defense, a receiver, and a couple offensive linemen we’ll be locked in on, with roster spots or starting jobs potentially on the line:

Turay played a lot in the preseason opener, but it was clear he was the best player on the field in numerous reps. His roster spot seems pretty secure, but another dominant in-game performance would go a long way toward ensuring the former Colts second-round pick is on the roster and playing a role on the 49ers’ defensive line come Week 1.

(Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Knight came up with a huge second joint practice vs. the Vikings. The undrafted defensive back from UCLA has played some in the slot and at safety. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans had high praise for the rookie and made it sound like he’s in the thick of the race for a roster spot in the secondary. Playing well at two positions would certainly help his case, but he’ll need to back up his strong practice with another good effort in Saturday’s game.

It appears Gray will have at least some role for the 49ers this season. Even if it’s a small part as a deep threat in some situations, his speed is too good to keep on the bench for entire games. However, he could carve out a bigger role if he can impact the game on more than just go routes. He was utilized a lot in the preseason opener, and another effective game Saturday without quarterback Trey Lance would put Gray’s trajectory toward a bigger role than speed merchant.

Burford had some ups and downs in the opener vs. Green Bay. He was effective as a run blocker, but Pro Football Focus had him down for five pressures allowed. The Vikings defensive line dominated the joint practices according to reports from Minnesota. A bounce-back game from the rookie fourth-round pick would be an encouraging sign for him going into a year where he’s all but guaranteed to start at right guard.

An injury to veteran Daniel Brunskill all but secured the center competition for Brendel. He may not hold the job all season, but the fact Brunskill could miss time leading up to and perhaps through Week 1 means the competition in the middle of the offensive line is ostensibly over for now. Now Brendel has to play well. He’s another interior offensive lineman to keep an eye on after a decent debut. If he holds up in the middle, the 49ers will be in good shape.

It was hard to miss McCrary-Ball in the preseason opener. He hauled in an interception that he returned for 57 yards and tallied three tackles while consistently winding up around the football. McCrary-Ball is a terrific athlete as well and it showed up during the game. If there was definitely a player who was going to sneak up and steal a roster spot, he’d be on the short list of candidates. Snagging a back end of the roster spot will require an even bigger performance in Week 2 from the undrafted rookie from Indiana though.

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The #49ers worked out a veteran safety on Thursday.

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