San Francisco 49ers 2024 Predictions and Odds:
After a Super Bowl loss in 2023, it’s another season that will be judged on the playoff performance. All the pieces are in place to make another run, but they will have to deal with an improved NFC West. The schedule also features a fair amount of land mines facing four teams: Buffalo, Kansas City, Dallas and Seattle, who all will be coming off their bye week.
Offense
The 49ers are ready to fire on the offensive side of the ball again this season. It’s hard to knock Brock Purdy in his third year as the starting quarterback after a wonderful sophomore campaign that saw him as the sub-even money favorite to win the MVP with less than three weeks left in the season. While it looked unlikely at multiple points during the offseason, all the weapons are back in place for a dynamic offense.
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Christian McCaffrey, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, will again be a jack of all trades out of the backfield. His ability to catch the ball and run a full route tree gives the offense a Swiss Army Knife every team would love. He will again be one of, if not the shortest, price to score a touchdown week and week out.
While rumors about either Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel being on the move in the offseason were prominent, both head into camp in the Red and Gold. They offer a dynamic pair of playmakers for Purdy complimented by tight end George Kittle and 2024 draftee Ricky Pearsall.
The lone offensive question mark is depth on the line. There was a noticeable difference in play when Trent Williams went down last year, and those issues remain unaddressed heading into training camp.
Defense
Last year’s 49ers defense was as potent as the offense, ranking top 10 in yards allowed per game and third in scoring defense. Led by a defensive line that bolstered the seventh-most sacks and a pair of veteran linebackers, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, the San Francisco front was able to speed up and frustrate opposing offenses.
The defensive line returns top sack artists Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave but replaced the left side of the line with free agents Leonard Floyd and Maliek Collins. The depth that also allowed the 49ers to rotate top pass rushers was one of the cap casualties of the offseason. To generate consistent pressure, they will need to run on the proper side of injury luck up front.
Newly minted defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen will have Greenlaw and Warner back at linebacker, and the middle of the field will again be locked down for the 49ers. All eyes will be on Talanoa Hufanga’s ACL as he returns from a season-ending injury last year.
Outlook
Over at DraftKings, the 49ers’ 11.5 win total is the second-highest in the NFL. While there is some juice to the Under (-125), the San Francisco 49ers are expected to be the class of the NFC. Considering the schedule, increased divisional talent, and lack of depth on both lines, this is one of the easier Under plays on the board.
San Francisco 49ers Pick: Under 11.5 Wins