FantasyHQ · Game Recap

NFL · Week 1 · September 10, 2023 · 12 min read

San Francisco 49ers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: 2023 Week 1 Recap

49ers defeat Steelers 30–7 in Week 1

Brandon Aiyuk led Fantasy Impact as 49ers prevailed in a 30–7 Week 1 finish.

San Francisco 49ers 30 1–0 Winner
Final 30–7
Pittsburgh Steelers 7 0–1
Winner
San Francisco 49ers
Final score
30–7
Halftime
San Francisco 49ers 20–7 Pittsburgh Steelers
Top passer
Kenny Pickett
FantasyHQ MVP
Brandon Aiyuk
Game date
September 10, 2023

Top fantasy performers · 49ers

  • Brandon Aiyuk
    Brandon Aiyuk 8 REC · 129 YDS · 2 TD +17.7 Fantasy Impact
  • Brock Purdy
    Brock Purdy 19/34 · 224 YDS · 2 TD +9.0 Fantasy Impact
  • Christian McCaffrey
    Christian McCaffrey 24 CAR · 152 YDS · 1 TD +1.4 Fantasy Impact

Top fantasy performers · Steelers

  • Anthony McFarland Jr.
    Anthony McFarland Jr. 2 REC · 11 YDS +1.2 Fantasy Impact
  • Nick Harris
    Nick Harris 6 CAR · 31 YDS +0.7 Fantasy Impact
  • Alton Robinson
    Alton Robinson 5 REC · 64 YDS +0.4 Fantasy Impact

Quick answer

Winner
San Francisco 49ers
Final score
San Francisco 49ers 30–7 Pittsburgh Steelers
Halftime
San Francisco 49ers 20–7 Pittsburgh Steelers at halftime
FantasyHQ MVP
Brandon Aiyuk
Top passer
Kenny Pickett
Biggest EPA play
(5:42) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy sacked at PIT 46 for -8 yards (90-T.Watt). FUMBLES (90-T.Watt)…
Game date
2023-09-10

Game summary

The San Francisco 49ers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 30–7 on 2023-09-10. Brandon Aiyuk posted a game-high +17.66 total EPA in the receiving.

The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 17 combined points.

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

Q1Q2Q3Q4T
San Francisco 49ers101073030
Pittsburgh Steelers070007

Scoring Map

Each pin marks where a score occurred on the field — yard line from play-by-play.

SFSan Francisco 49ers
PITPittsburgh Steelers

FantasyHQ Analytics

Scoring timeline

11 scores

Chronological scoring plays — scroll to follow the game.

  1. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q1 9:34TD
    Brandon Aiyuk

    Points+6

    Yard line
    PIT 8
    Score
    6-0

    (9:34) 13-B.Purdy pass short middle to 11-B.Aiyuk for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

  2. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q1 9:29XP
    Jaylen Moody

    Points+1

    Yard line
    PIT 20
    Score
    7-0

    4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.

  3. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q1 4:41FG
    Jaylen Moody

    Points+3

    Yard line
    PIT 23
    Score
    10-0

    (4:41) 4-J.Moody 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.

  4. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q2 13:36TD
    Brandon Aiyuk

    Points+6

    Yard line
    PIT 19
    Score
    16-0

    (13:36) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy pass deep right to 11-B.Aiyuk for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

  5. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q2 13:30XP
    Jaylen Moody

    Points+1

    Yard line
    PIT 15
    Score
    17-0

    4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.

  6. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q2 8:26FG
    Jaylen Moody

    Points+3

    Yard line
    PIT 13
    Score
    20-0

    (8:26) 4-J.Moody 32 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.

  7. PITPittsburgh Steelers
    Q2 0:13TD
    Pat Freiermuth

    Points+6

    Yard line
    SF 3
    Score
    20-6

    (:13) (Shotgun) 8-K.Pickett pass short left to 88-P.Freiermuth for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

  8. PITPittsburgh Steelers
    Q2 0:10XP
    Chris Boswell

    Points+1

    Yard line
    SF 15
    Score
    20-7

    9-C.Boswell extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Kuntz, Holder-6-P.Harvin.

  9. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q3 14:15TD
    Christian McCaffrey

    Points+6

    Yard line
    PIT 65
    Score
    26-7

    (14:15) 23-C.McCaffrey left tackle for 65 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

  10. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q3 14:02XP
    Jaylen Moody

    Points+1

    Yard line
    PIT 15
    Score
    27-7

    4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.

  11. SFSan Francisco 49ers
    Q4 5:34FG
    Jaylen Moody

    Points+3

    Yard line
    PIT 22
    Score
    30-7

    (5:34) 4-J.Moody 40 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA).

  1. 1Brandon AiyukBrandon Aiyuk · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +17.66 total EPA · 8 snaps · +2.21 EPA/play
  2. 2Brock PurdyBrock Purdy · San Francisco 49ers · Passing · +9.02 total EPA · 34 snaps · +0.27 EPA/play
  3. 3Christian McCaffreyChristian McCaffrey · San Francisco 49ers · Rushing · +1.43 total EPA · 24 snaps · +0.06 EPA/play
  4. 4Deebo Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr. · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +1.41 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.20 EPA/play
  5. 5Anthony McFarland Jr.Anthony McFarland Jr. · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +1.19 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.60 EPA/play
  6. 6Nick HarrisNick Harris · Pittsburgh Steelers · Rushing · +0.69 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.12 EPA/play
  7. 7George KittleGeorge Kittle · San Francisco 49ers · Receiving · +0.52 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.09 EPA/play
  8. 8Alton RobinsonAlton Robinson · Pittsburgh Steelers · Receiving · +0.40 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.05 EPA/play

FantasyHQ Game MVP

Highest total EPA with the player's top snap and the game's biggest single play when different.

Brandon Aiyuk

FantasyHQ Game MVP

Brandon Aiyuk — SF · Receiving

Brandon Aiyuk posted the highest total EPA (+17.66) in the game, the strongest overall impact for San Francisco 49ers. Across 8 counted snaps, they averaged +2.21 EPA per play.

Brandon Aiyuk's top snap (+3.26 EPA): (13:36) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy pass deep right to 11-B.Aiyuk for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Biggest single play (-7.00 EPA): Brock Purdy — (5:42) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy sacked at PIT 46 for -8 yards (90-T.Watt). FUMBLES (90-T.Watt) [90-T.Watt], RECOVERED by PIT-90-T.Watt at PIT 46. PENALTY on SF-74-S.Burford, Face Mask, 15 yards, enforced

Quarterback report card

Kenny Pickett led all passers in efficiency for Pittsburgh Steelers, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

  • Kenny PickettKenny Pickett (Pittsburgh Steelers) · 53 dropbacks · 58.5% completion · +2.1% CPOE · -0.33 EPA/play · -17.48 total EPA
  • Brock PurdyBrock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers) · 34 dropbacks · 55.9% completion · +3.1% CPOE · +0.27 EPA/play · +9.02 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency.

StatSan Francisco 49ersPittsburgh Steelers
Offensive EPA/play+0.109-0.276
Offensive success rate40.7%38.0%
Pass EPA/play+0.265-0.330
Rush EPA/play-0.023-0.092
Defensive EPA/play+0.276-0.109
Defensive success rate62.0%59.3%

Drive & efficiency notes

Despite the final score, San Francisco 49ers generated the better offensive EPA per play (+0.11 vs -0.28), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.

Season benchmark context (offensive EPA per play):

  • San Francisco 49ers: +0.11 EPA/play (82nd percentile vs. 2023 team-game averages)
  • Pittsburgh Steelers: -0.28 EPA/play (7th percentile vs. 2023 team-game averages)
  • Pittsburgh Steelers: 11 drives, -21.78 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
  • San Francisco 49ers: 12 drives, +9.34 total EPA, 6 scoring drives
Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal from official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

  • Brandon AiyukSan Francisco 49ers — Brandon Aiyuk (Brock Purdy pass) (Q1 9:34)
  • Brandon AiyukSan Francisco 49ers — Brandon Aiyuk (Brock Purdy pass) (Q2 13:36)
  • Pat FreiermuthPittsburgh Steelers — Pat Freiermuth (Kenny Pickett pass) (Q2 0:13)
  • Christian McCaffreySan Francisco 49ers — Christian McCaffrey (Q3 14:15)

Field goals

  • Jaylen MoodySan Francisco 49ers — Jaylen Moody (Q1 4:41)
  • Jaylen MoodySan Francisco 49ers — Jaylen Moody (Q2 8:26)
  • Jaylen MoodySan Francisco 49ers — Jaylen Moody (Q4 5:34)
Quarter by quarter

Quarter-by-quarter recap from live scoring plays.

The opening quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 10–0. San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the PIT 8 (Q1 9:34) — (9:34) 13-B.Purdy pass short middle to 11-B.Aiyuk for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the PIT 20 (Q1 9:29) — 4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.; San Francisco 49ers connected on a field goal from the PIT 23 (Q1 4:41) — (4:41) 4-J.Moody 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky..

The second quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 10–7. San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the PIT 19 (Q2 13:36) — (13:36) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy pass deep right to 11-B.Aiyuk for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the PIT 15 (Q2 13:30) — 4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.; San Francisco 49ers connected on a field goal from the PIT 13 (Q2 8:26) — (8:26) 4-J.Moody 32 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.; Pittsburgh Steelers found the end zone from the SF 3 (Q2 0:13) — (:13) (Shotgun) 8-K.Pickett pass short left to 88-P.Freiermuth for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Pittsburgh Steelers added 1 points from the SF 15 (Q2 0:10) — 9-C.Boswell extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Kuntz, Holder-6-P.Harvin..

The third quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 7–0. San Francisco 49ers found the end zone from the PIT 65 (Q3 14:15) — (14:15) 23-C.McCaffrey left tackle for 65 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; San Francisco 49ers added 1 points from the PIT 15 (Q3 14:02) — 4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky..

The fourth quarter: San Francisco 49ers won the period 3–0. San Francisco 49ers connected on a field goal from the PIT 22 (Q4 5:34) — (5:34) 4-J.Moody 40 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky..

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most.

  • San Francisco 49ers (Q1 11:34) — (11:34) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy pass short left to 85-G.Kittle to PIT 34 for 11 yards (50-E.Roberts; 20-P.Peterson). [WPA +11.0% · EPA +2.78]
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (Q1 8:08) — (8:08) (Shotgun) 8-K.Pickett pass deep right intended for 18-D.Johnson INTERCEPTED by 7-C.Ward at SF 43. 7-C.Ward pushed ob at PIT 48 for 9 yards (88-P.Freiermuth). [WPA -6.9% · EPA -3.41]
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (Q1 14:02) — (14:02) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 8-K.Pickett sacked at PIT 20 for -10 yards (95-D.Jackson). [WPA -6.4% · EPA -2.56]
  • San Francisco 49ers (Q2 13:36) — (13:36) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy pass deep right to 11-B.Aiyuk for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +6.2% · EPA +3.26]
  • San Francisco 49ers (Q1 7:20) — (7:20) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy pass short middle to 11-B.Aiyuk to PIT 26 for 23 yards (31-K.Neal; 39-M.Fitzpatrick). [WPA +4.3% · EPA +2.40]
Impact plays

Highest EPA snaps that flipped field position.

  • San Francisco 49ers (Q3 5:42) — (5:42) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy sacked at PIT 46 for -8 yards (90-T.Watt). FUMBLES (90-T.Watt) [90-T.Watt], RECOVERED by PIT-90-T.Watt at PIT 46. PENALTY on SF-74-S.Burford, Face Mask, 15 yards, enforced [WPA -3.3% · EPA -7.00]
  • San Francisco 49ers (Q3 14:15) — (14:15) 23-C.McCaffrey left tackle for 65 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA +2.4% · EPA +5.63]
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (Q4 10:23) — (10:23) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 8-K.Pickett pass deep middle intended for 83-Co.Heyward INTERCEPTED by 29-T.Hufanga (54-F.Warner) at SF 26. 29-T.Hufanga pushed ob at PIT 10 for 64 yards (61-M.Cole). PENA [WPA -0.7% · EPA -5.27]
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (Q1 8:08) — (8:08) (Shotgun) 8-K.Pickett pass deep right intended for 18-D.Johnson INTERCEPTED by 7-C.Ward at SF 43. 7-C.Ward pushed ob at PIT 48 for 9 yards (88-P.Freiermuth). [WPA -6.9% · EPA -3.41]
Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with play-by-play context.

  1. San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q1 9:34 · PIT 8 · Score 6-0
    (9:34) 13-B.Purdy pass short middle to 11-B.Aiyuk for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
  2. San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q1 9:29 · PIT 20 · Score 7-0
    4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.
  3. San Francisco 49ers FG (+3) — Q1 4:41 · PIT 23 · Score 10-0
    (4:41) 4-J.Moody 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.
  4. San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q2 13:36 · PIT 19 · Score 16-0
    (13:36) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy pass deep right to 11-B.Aiyuk for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
  5. San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q2 13:30 · PIT 15 · Score 17-0
    4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.
  6. San Francisco 49ers FG (+3) — Q2 8:26 · PIT 13 · Score 20-0
    (8:26) 4-J.Moody 32 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.
  7. Pittsburgh Steelers TD (+6) — Q2 0:13 · SF 3 · Score 20-6
    (:13) (Shotgun) 8-K.Pickett pass short left to 88-P.Freiermuth for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
  8. Pittsburgh Steelers XP (+1) — Q2 0:10 · SF 15 · Score 20-7
    9-C.Boswell extra point is GOOD, Center-46-C.Kuntz, Holder-6-P.Harvin.
  9. San Francisco 49ers TD (+6) — Q3 14:15 · PIT 65 · Score 26-7
    (14:15) 23-C.McCaffrey left tackle for 65 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
  10. San Francisco 49ers XP (+1) — Q3 14:02 · PIT 15 · Score 27-7
    4-J.Moody extra point is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.
  11. San Francisco 49ers FG (+3) — Q4 5:34 · PIT 22 · Score 30-7
    (5:34) 4-J.Moody 40 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-T.Pepper, Holder-18-M.Wishnowsky.

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research and follow-up box score digging.

  • San Francisco 49ers earned the result — use the box score for snap-level context.
  • Brandon Aiyuk (San Francisco 49ers) led total EPA — start here for highlight and prop research.
  • Brock Purdy (SF) finished above expected through the air (positive CPOE).

Frequently asked questions

Who won San Francisco 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers on 2023-09-10?

The San Francisco 49ers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-7 in Week 1, 2023.

What was the score by quarter in San Francisco 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers?

Q1: San Francisco 49ers 10, Pittsburgh Steelers 0; Q2: San Francisco 49ers 10, Pittsburgh Steelers 7; Q3: San Francisco 49ers 7, Pittsburgh Steelers 0; Q4: San Francisco 49ers 3, Pittsburgh Steelers 0; Final: San Francisco 49ers 30, Pittsburgh Steelers 7.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals in San Francisco 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers?

San Francisco 49ers touchdown — B. Aiyuk (B. Purdy pass) (Q1 9:34) San Francisco 49ers touchdown — B. Aiyuk (B. Purdy pass) (Q2 13:36) Pittsburgh Steelers touchdown — P. Freiermuth (K. Pickett pass) (Q2 0:13) San Francisco 49ers touchdown — C. McCaffrey (Q3 14:15) San Francisco 49ers field goal — J. Moody (Q1 4:41, 3 pts) San Francisco 49ers field goal — J. Moody (Q2 8:26, 3 pts) San Francisco 49ers field goal — J. Moody (Q4 5:34, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.

How did the quarterbacks play in San Francisco 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers?

Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh Steelers), 58.5% completion, +2.1% CPOE, -0.33 EPA per dropback, -17.48 total passing EPA. Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers), 55.9% completion, +3.1% CPOE, +0.27 EPA per dropback, +9.02 total passing EPA.

Who was FantasyHQ's player of the game in San Francisco 49ers vs Pittsburgh Steelers?

Brandon Aiyuk (San Francisco 49ers) was FantasyHQ's Game MVP with +17.66 total EPA on Receiving plays. across 8 snaps. Their top snap (+3.26 EPA): (13:36) (Shotgun) 13-B.Purdy pass deep right to 11-B.Aiyuk for 19 yards, TOUCHDOWN..

Season records after this game

San Francisco 49ers

Now 1-0 W

Pittsburgh Steelers

Now 0-1 L