The San Francisco 49ers consistently rank at or near the top of contenders in the NFC going into 2023, despite the fact that their quarterback position is rife with uncertainty. Trey Lance missed almost all of 2022 due to injury, and Jimmy Garoppolo went down after leading the 49ers to eight wins in 11 games before going down in Week 13 with a foot injury, leaving Brock Purdy to run the offense. Purdy guided the team to a 5-0 record to finish the regular season and then to wins in the wild-card and divisional round of the playoffs. A ligament injury in a throwing arm rendered him powerless to throw the ball in the NFC Championship, and with Lance and Garoppolo unavailable, the 49ers couldn’t do much at all on offense. Garoppolo is now with the Las Vegas Raiders, and both Purdy and Lance are still recovering from their injuries. The 49ers added Brandon Allen to the roster, but Allen is clearly there as a mentor and backup. Allen gave Joe Burrow some help acclimating to the NFL in his first season and should do the same for these two, but he is not a starting option. As you think about NFL betting and the 2023 NFL season, check out our thoughts about their opponents this season.
NFL Betting News: 2023 Opponent Analysis – San Francisco 49ers
Home Games: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, N.Y. Giants, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Road Games: Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars
Let’s start with the 49ers’ divisional opponents. The Cardinals are in an interesting position, with a new head coach but a quarterback entering his second season of a massive contract in Kyler Murray. Rumors swirl about Murray losing the respect of his locker room, and the retirement of J.J. Watt and the trade requests by wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and safety Budda Baker suggest that these rumors are true. In the draft, the Cardinals did well, trading down three slots but still getting OT Paris Johnson Jr from Ohio State, who should help bolster the O-line. Edge rusher B.J. Ojulari, cornerback Garrett Williams and wide receiver Michael Wilson all fill crucial needs. They even added a possible project at quarterback in Clayton Tune out of Houston. But are they ready to stop the 49ers?
The Rams are trying to rebuild around Matthew Stafford; the trade that brought him from Detroit took the team’s first-round draft pick this year. They took offensive guard Steve Avila from TCU with their first pick, and the line does need immediate help. Edge rusher Byron Young out of Tennessee was another solid pick. It’s hard to say that this is a team that can beat San Francisco, especially if you look at the 49ers’ historical dominance of the Rams in the regular season in recent years.
Seattle took cornerback Devon Witherspoon and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the first round, bolstering the defense and giving Geno Smith another potential elite target down the field. They added three defensive linemen to improve the front level of their defense. Can Smith prosper as the starting quarterback?
The 49ers also play the NFC East teams. They have beaten the Dallas Cowboys two straight years in the postseason, as their defense has shut down the Cowboys’ often potent attack. The Giants have Daniel Jones back at quarterback after an extension, and they are now trying to get Saquon Barkley into a contract as well. The Philadelphia Eagles routed the 49ers in the NFC Championship, and they also ran away with the 2023 draft, getting defensive tackle Jalen Carter and edge rusher Nolan Smith from Georgia with the ninth and 30th picks, respectively. The Washington Commanders really don’t have a proven starter-level quarterback, as they have placed the offense in the hands of Sam Howell, but they prioritized defense in the draft, taking cornerback Emmanuel Forbes and defensive back Jartavius Martin with their first two picks.
From the AFC, the 49ers visit the Jacksonville Jaguars and play the AFC North. Jacksonville is a dangerous team after winning the AFC South last year, and Doug Pedersen has the team playing with confidence. Starting the draft with offensive tackle Anton Harrison will give quarterback Anton Harrison more protection, and drafting tight end Brenton Strange will both improve the team’s blocking and third-down options in the passing game.
In the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns should be a terrific team, at least on paper, but Deshaun Watson has been slow to reach his Pro Bowl form that he showed in Houston, and the defense has yet to live up to its talent. The Cincinnati Bengals are, once again, contenders for the AFC title. Baltimore did sign Lamar Jackson to an extension, solidifying their future at quarterback, and they also added Odell Beckham Jr, but can their defense keep up with what San Francisco can do with a healthy Purdy and Christian McCaffrey? Then there is Pittsburgh, a team brimming with confidence in Kenny Pickett’s second season. They got Pickett some protection with offensive tackle Broderick Jones out of Georgia and also drafted Joey Porter Jr at cornerback and defensive tackle Keeanu Benton with their second and third picks to add to the Steelers’ stout defense.
Then there are Minnesota and Tampa Bay. Minnesota still has Kirk Cousins at quarterback, which means that the offense will have some terrific games – and will flounder at other times. The 49ers’ defense should be able to slow them down. Tampa Bay has brought Baker Mayfield in to run the offense along with several elite wide receiver options. The Bucs don’t really have a strong option at tailback, and they didn’t add one in the draft.
So how will the 49ers finish? I see them going 5-1, sweeping the Cardinals and Rams while splitting with Seattle. Against the NFC East, I see them going 3-1, losing to Philadelphia. Against the five AFC teams, I see the 49ers going 2-3, beating Cleveland and Baltimore while losing to Cincinnati, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh. I see the 49ers beating both Minnesota and Tampa Bay to finish at 12-5 and win the NFC West.
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