Broncos vs. 49ers Recap: McCaffrey, Kittle and Purdy Cash in 24-14 Win

The 49ers beat the Broncos 24-14. It was a field-goal game for most of the afternoon. Denver led 3-0 after a 52-yard kick in the first quarter, San Francisco tied it at 3-3 before halftime, and a 1-yard Brock Purdy pass to Deebo Samuel Sr. made it 10-3 in the third. The fourth quarter did the rest. The 49ers ran the ball 35 times for 140 yards, never gave it away and finished with 358 total yards to Denver's 296. Denver made it 17-14 late, and San Francisco answered in under two minutes. Five DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

ALT: Christian McCaffrey 45+ rushing yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200 at Hard Rock): CASHED - Our read: McCaffrey had run for 68 and 75 yards in two of three logged games, and 45 sat well under his main line with San Francisco a home favorite. - What happened: 15 carries for 52 yards, 7 over the 45 mark, with a long of 14. - Worth watching: The carries were there again. An alt rushing line with this much room below the main number is worth a look when the price is fair.

Christian McCaffrey anytime TD (-200 at bet365): CASHED - Our read: San Francisco's receiver group looked thin, which pointed red-zone touches toward McCaffrey. - What happened: He scored on a 1-yard run with 8:52 left in the fourth quarter, which made it 17-6 San Francisco and took the game out of one-score range for a while. - Worth watching: Goal-line work is the whole case for this angle. Check the price first, since this was a short number.

ALT: George Kittle 45+ receiving yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200 at Hard Rock): CASHED - Our read: With the receiver room short-handed, we expected Kittle to get even more of Purdy's looks. - What happened: 4 catches on 6 targets for 70 yards, 25 over the 45 mark. The big one was a 56-yard touchdown with 2:15 left, which made it 24-14. The other three catches added 14 yards. - Worth watching: Most of the total came from one play, so this was a cushion that a single long catch can fill. Kittle's 6 targets are the number to track.

49ers ML (-162 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: San Francisco was 3-0 at home and the power ratings had them as the best team in the league, worth up to -4. This was one of our lower-confidence plays, so it counts as a long shot that landed. - What happened: The 49ers won by 10 after trailing early and sitting at 10-3 through three quarters. - Worth watching: A home team with a rushing edge and no turnovers is a fair moneyline look. At -162 the price asks for a clear edge, so check it each week.

ALT: Brock Purdy 210+ passing yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200 at Hard Rock): CASHED - Our read: Purdy had topped his main line in 4 of his last 5 home games, at about 262 per game, and we set the alt well under it. - What happened: 19 completions on 30 attempts for 218 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions, 8 over the 210 mark. He was not sacked. He added 10 carries for 29 yards on the ground. - Worth watching: He got there on a run-heavy day, which is a good sign for the floor. A low alt passing line keeps working when the offense leans on the ground game.

How the game played out

Denver's offense moved the chains at times, converting eight third downs on 17 tries, but it scored only field goals until late in the fourth quarter. The Broncos cut it to 17-14 with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix and a two-point conversion with 4:05 left. San Francisco's next drive went 5 plays and 69 yards in 1:50 and ended in the Kittle touchdown. Denver then missed a field goal on its final possession.

Trends to watch

• Run-heavy San Francisco: 35 rushing attempts and 140 yards, with McCaffrey on 15 carries. Rushing props on the 49ers start from that workload.
• Kittle's role: 6 targets in a game where the offense ran more than it threw. Receiving props on him depend on the long play, so watch the alt line and price.
• Denver's third downs: The Broncos converted eight third downs on 17 tries and still scored just 14. Opposing totals against them are worth checking against drive results, not only yards.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. More on the math: alt lines, moneylines and anytime touchdown bets. All NFL recaps live on the NFL hub.