San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys

The San Francisco 49ers come to AT&T Stadium on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET as clear favorites, and the burden of proof sits with the home side. For Dallas, the storyline is simple: the offense has to produce. ESPN framed the week around that idea, with a headline stating that the Cowboys' offensive production needs to step up. Against a visitor the market rates this highly, there is little margin for another quiet afternoon.

Much of the conversation around that offense has centered on George Pickens. A Yahoo Sports headline asked why the Cowboys are talking in circles about the receiver, raising the possibility of a big trade or more targets. The report does not settle the question, but how Dallas chooses to use Pickens against San Francisco will be one of the more telling details of the game. If the offense is going to answer its critics, he figures to be part of the answer.

Health is the other variable. Reports ahead of the Colts game said Dallas would be without two starters, with four more listed as questionable, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Sports Illustrated reported that CJ Allen was taking on a bigger role as the Cowboys navigated those injury concerns. Those reports covered the Colts week, so the final availability designations before Sunday's kickoff deserve close attention, particularly if depth players are again asked to carry more.

The market has San Francisco favored at -223 on the moneyline, which implies roughly a 69 percent chance of a 49ers win. No point spread or total was available at the time of writing. Either way, the number reflects a Dallas team that will need its best offensive showing to change the picture at home.