NFL Odds: Talented 49ers Deserving Of Contender Status
Will San Francisco finally reach the NFL's mountaintop?
Tune in to the "Ultimate Betting Show" on NESN or NESN360 on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET for NFL training camp previews. Next up: the San Francisco 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers certainly didn't end the 2022 campaign the way they wanted: With running back Christian McCaffery behind center in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Countless 49ers players expressed how a healthy Brock Purdy not only would have led San Francisco to the conference title but maybe even a Super Bowl victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. Purdy suffered an elbow injury in the first quarter before fourth-stringer Josh Johnson was ruled out with a concussion on the first drive of the second half. A promising conference title game was never close.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan and company now enter 2023 with hopes of getting back. Again. The Niners reached three NFC Championship Games the past four seasons. They have the coaching, skill-position players and defensive stars to get them there again.
It's why San Francisco is favored to win the NFC West, sits behind only the Eagles to win the conference and is high on the list of Super Bowl contenders.
2022 in review
13-4 (lost in conference championship)
11-6 ATS
9-8 over/under
Key offseason additions
DC Steve Wilks
DT Javon Hargrave
QB Sam Darnold
Key offseason losses
DC DeMeco Ryans
QB Jimmy Garoppolo
QB Trey Lance
DE Charles Omenihu
DE Samson Ebukam
OT Mike McGlinchey
CB Emmanuel Moseley
S Jimmie Ward
Look ahead to 2023 (via FanDuel Sportsbook)
Super Bowl: +1000
Conference: +400
Division: -165
Win total: 10.5 (Over -162)
Make playoffs: Yes -430 | No +310
2023 award contenders
MVP: Brock Purdy +3000
Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffery +1400
Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bosa +1200, Fred Warner +5000
Coach of the Year: Kyle Shanahan +3000
2023 outlook
Purdy was named the starting quarterback after he was medically cleared following elbow surgery. Sam Darnold, who joined this offseason, beat out 2021 No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance for the backup position, which prompted Lance to be traded to the Dallas Cowboys. Shanahan has full confidence in Purdy being able to lead his quarterback-friendly offense with the expectation skill players like McCaffery, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle will take pressure off the 2022 seventh-rounder.
It will serve as the biggest question in the Bay Area.
If Purdy is able to provide average-to-good quarterback play, the 49ers have a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl. The roster elsewhere is that good with offensive tackle Trent Williams, a first-team All-Pro each of the last two seasons, Bosa, big-ticket offseason addition Javon Hargrave and Warner complementing those at the skill positions.
Perhaps the two biggest questions for San Francisco will be how the offensive line replaces McGlinchey and how defensive coordinator Steve Wilks Ryans, who took the head coach position in Houston. But there are plenty of reasons to believe the 49ers will be just fine.
