Keep your eye on ...
1. 49ers quarterback battle: The 49ers used the first overall selection on Alex Smith in 2005, but he has yet to distinguish himself, which opened the door for Shaun Hill, who excelled as an injury replacement for Smith last season. A darkhorse candidate is J.T. O'Sullivan, who was a favorite of new offensive coordinator Mike Martz in Detroit and will get the start against the Raiders.
2. 49ers receiver Bryant Johnson: Johnson looked good in stretches as a third receiver in Arizona, playing with Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. Johnson has a chance to establish himself as a No. 1 receiver for the 49ers and could excel under Martz's new offense. Johnson did tweak his hamstring on Monday, and his status will continue to be evaluated.
3. Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell: Russell missed all of Raiders training camp last season with an extended contract holdout, but is now the unquestioned starter. Russell showed flashes in limited appearances last season, so his preseason debut will be highly anticipated despite a recent sore elbow.
