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49ers Predicted to Disrupt 2025 NFC Playoff Picture

49ers Predicted to Disrupt 2025 NFC Playoff Picture

Newsweek8 hours ago
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
NFL predictions will start to fly out in the coming days and weeks before the start of the regular season. A very popular way predictions are made is through projection models.
More news: Bold Bijan Robinson Prediction Could Skyrocket Falcons' 2025 Season
A new projection model was shared by The Athletic for the NFC conference, which paints an obvious and very surprising picture. The Philadelphia Eagles have the highest win total at 10.9 wins, along with an 85.7 percent chance to make the playoffs and a 7.6 percent Super Bowl winning chance.
Despite it being obvious the Eagles should make some noise in the NFC, the runner-up on this list is quite shocking. According to this projection model, the San Francisco 49ers are in for a huge year.
The 49ers have been given 10.4 wins, a 73.3 percent chance to make the playoffs, and a 6.5 percent chance of being in the Super Bowl.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks to media during San Francisco 49ers media availability ahead of Super Bowl LVIII at Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa on February 08, 2024 in Henderson, Nevada.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan speaks to media during San Francisco 49ers media availability ahead of Super Bowl LVIII at Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa on February 08, 2024 in Henderson, Nevada.
Photo byRead more: Report: 49ers Pull Off Massive Trade With Chiefs to Land Second-Round Pick WR
This projection may or may not have been done when the 49ers began to lose offensive players nearly every day. So far, the offensive players that are set to miss time are:
• Brandon Aiyuk: ACL recovery, out until at least Week 6
• Jauan Jennings: Calf issue + seeking new deal
• DeMarcus Robinson: Suspended 3 games
• Jordan Watkins: High-ankle sprain
• Jacob Cowing: Re-aggravated hamstring
That said, the 49ers did pull off a massive trade, bringing in Skyy Moore from the Kansas City Chiefs. Moore should line up with Ricky Pearsall to give the team some semblance of playmakers.
To be fair, the 49ers were in the Super Bowl during the 2023 season and had a huge misstep in 2024. This was likely due to the injuries the team sustained, which could be an issue that rears its ugly head again.
Still, Brock Purdy and company are dynamic when everyone is healthy. Could the 49ers make some noise in the NFC? The short answer is, yes. However, they will need a lot of help on the offensive side of the ball to do so.
For more on the 49ers and NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
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