Can Cleveland Browns pull an upset at home?

SANTA CLARA – Another week, another challenge to Nick Bosa’s reign as the NFL Defensive Player of the Week.

But who is the bigger threat this Sunday, the Cleveland Browns’ pass rusher Myles Garrett or 49ers’ linebacker Fred Warner?

Garrett registered 5 ½ sacks and 13 quarterback hits before the Browns (2-2) retreated to their Week 5 bye. The 2017 draft’s No. 1 pick is expected to play Sunday despite leaving last game in a walking boot for a foot injury, Cleveland.com reported.

Warner is coming off prime-time stardom for the undefeated 49ers (5-0). The two-time All-Pro linebacker produced a forced fumble, a sack and an interception in Sunday night’s 42-10 home win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Warner downplayed award chatter after that game. As for last year’s honors, Garrett finished fifth to Bosa; the runner-up was Dallas’ Micah Parsons, who didn’t touch the 49ers’ Brock Purdy on Sunday night.

Bosa has 1 ½ sacks and 14 quarterback hits this season. (The Steelers’ T.J. Watt has a NFL-best eight sacks, 15 hits.)

In Bosa’s only previous game against the Browns, he tormented then-quarterback Baker Mayfield with two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the 49ers’ 31-3 win Oct. 7, 2019 on Monday Night Football.

Enough about defensive superstars. Onward for this Week 6 preview:

FIVE TOP STORYLINES

1. BROWNS QUARTERBACK: Even after a bye week, Deshaun Watson missed Monday’s practice to give his “bruised” throwing shoulder more rest. Playing in his place last game was rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, a UCLA product who threw for just 121 yards on 36 attempts, three of which were intercepted in a 28-3 home loss to the Ravens .

2. GUARD UP OR DOWN: Injuries to starting left guards bear watching, with the 49ers’ Aaron Banks (shoulder) and the Browns’ Joel Bitonio (unspecified; reportedly was on crutches last week). Banks has a shoulder sprain rather than a more serious biceps injury. Of the 49ers’ past 25 games, Banks has started all but the January’s regular-season finale (knee). Jon Feliciano replaced him for most of Sunday’s second half. Bitonio has made 102 straight starts. The Browns also could be without starting center Ethan Pocic (knee, chest).

3. DEFENSIVE SURGE: Could the 49ers defense actually be getting stronger by the week? Yielding a league-low 13.6 points per game, that group will add pass rusher Randy Gregory to the mix, after his trade Friday from the Denver Broncos. Another signal of a red-hot defense: Four takeaways Sunday from the Cowboys.

4. QUICK STARTERS: Coach Kyle Shanahan’s opening scripts are producing points aplenty. The 49ers have scored four touchdowns and a field goal on their opening drives. He insists the urgency to score exists from their first drive to their last. “They’ve done a good job, and when things haven’t worked that clean, we’ve been able to make some key third downs that keep us on the field,” Shanahan said. “That’s usually the key to leading to points.”

5. RUSHING STAR: The Browns lost star running back Nick Chubb to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, and among those issuing social-media prayers was the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey, who’s led the NFL in rushing after each of the five weeks. McCaffrey (510 yards) is looking to score in his 15th straight game. Cleveland’s Jerome Ford has one touchdown in 50 touches, and Kareem Hunt hasn’t offered much (10 carries, 25 yards).

LAST MEETING

The 49ers’ 31-3 win Oct. 7, 2019 on Monday Night Football, with a rookie Bosa celebrating by planting a 49ers flag in the end zone to taunt Mayfield. Jimmy Garoppolo threw two touchdown passes and Matt Breida scored two touchdowns. Mayfield passed for 100 yards. Odell Beckham Jr. was active (pass, two catches, two runs, punt return) but didn’t hurt the 49ers.

SERIES HISTORY

The Browns have won 12-of-20 meetings dating to 1950, and the 49ers have won only 2-of-9 trips to Cleveland. The home team has won the past four games, and the last victorious visitors were the 2003 Browns at Candlestick.

LAST VISIT

Shanahan’s third and final win as the 2015 Browns’ offensive coordinator came in 24-10 fashion over the Jim Tomsula-coached 49ers on Dec. 13, 2015. It was Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel’s second and final NFL victory (270 yards, touchdown, interception).

TIGHT END ENCORE

George Kittle is coming off a career-high three touchdown catches, after getting shut out the first four games. Browns counterpart David Njoku sustained burns on his hands and face in a firepit accident 1 ½ weeks ago.

OPPOSITE RECEIVERS

The 49ers are getting production from a bevy of receivers – Kittle, McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and  Deebo Samuel – while the Browns aren’t getting much from theirs. Amari Cooper has a team-high 18 catches (259 yards, one touchdown), followed by Elijah Moore (17 catches, 148 yards) and Njoku (16 catches, 138 yards). Former 49er Marquise Goodwin has caught 1-of-4 targets for no yards in 34 snaps.

BYE IMPACT

The Browns were among four teams to draw the NFL’s first round of byes. Their coach, Kevin Stefanski, is 2-1 after a week off, that loss coming last November when the Miami Dolphins (coached by Kyle Shanahan disciple Mike McDaniel) racked up 491 yards in a 39-17 win. The 49ers’ bye comes in Week 9.

TICKETS

Getting a seat for under $100 to an NFL game? That is what the resale market appears to be offering — on Vivid Seats. StubHub, SeatGeek, TicketCity and TicketMaster.  By the way, if you’re looking to hit up the 49ers’ owners for tickets because they live in nearby Youngstown, give them a break and save that request for, say, February.