The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the NFL’s best teams under head coach Kyle Shanahan. That is when injuries don’t befall them. Since 2017, when Shanahan was first hired, the Niners have made the playoffs five times. En route to making each of those postseason runs, the team has won at least 10 games in the regular season.
After losing multiple star players to injury last season, including All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle, this team appears to be in a somewhat better place from a health perspective. However, some, including Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport, believe that it won’t be the same juggernaut this season that it has been when at full strength in years past.
San Francisco 49ers Predicted to Finish 3rd in NFC West
Here is what Davenport had to write on Saturday about his record prediction of 9-8 for the 49ers this upcoming season:
“Generally speaking, it’s folly to write off the San Francisco 49ers – despite being shredded by injuries in 2025, the Niners went 12-5 last year and won a playoff game. Do it anyway – because at some point San Francisco’s luck is going to run out…San Francisco’s two best defensive players are both coming off major injuries. So is tight end George Kittle. The schedule in December is rough. The 49ers won’t be a bad team in 2026. But a backslide is coming.”
If Shanahan and the 49ers go 9-8 in the regular season, that may not be enough to make the playoffs. That would be extremely frustrating for a team that has been on the doorstep of a Super Bowl title multiple times in the last seven seasons. With plenty of star players above the age of 30, including future Hall of Famers in Kittle, new wide receiver Mike Evans, and left tackle Trent Williams, time is running out for the organization to win with this current core.
The 49ers’ Brutal Second-Half Schedule
The 49ers will only face nine teams in 2026 that had a winning record last season. However, they will likely find out who they really are in the second half of their season. From November 15th on, San Francisco will face what appears to be several talented teams. It will face a dangerous Cowboys offense before a date with an old NFC West foe in Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray.
Then, Shanahan and Co. will face their Super Bowl-winning rivals, the Seattle Seahawks, before facing a possibly revamped New York Giants team on the road. To end the season, the Niners will then face the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Philadelphia Eagles before meeting up with a rebuilding Arizona Cardinals squad.
In the last half-decade, nearly half of these teams have brought home a Super Bowl. If the 49ers can find a way to hold their own while staying healthy, expect them to be their usual double-digit win selves en route to a potentially deep playoff run.
49ers Given Stunning 2026 Record Prediction