49ers at No.9 in PFF’s preseason power rankings

With much of the offseason finished, and rosters compiled, PFF ranked each NFL team in tiers for their power rankings ahead of the 2022 NFL season.

Breaking down teams into five tiers—"True Contenders, Could Be Their Year, Eyes On The Playoffs, Stuck in Limbo, and Rebuilding"—PFF ranked the San Francisco 49ers ninth, placing them in the "Could Be Their Year" tier.

"One of the few teams that have a real chance of winning a championship without an elite quarterback, the 49ers have the ability to dominate because of Kyle Shanahan's offense and the playmakers within it. Jimmy Garoppolo is still on the roster and may very well be the starter again this season. His play has proven to be good enough for this team to win when he is healthy, and Trey Lance may represent the contingency plan for the likely injury to Garoppolo rather than the 2022 starter," wrote PFF's Sam Monson.

The 49ers have come close to winning that championship twice in recent years, having reached the Super Bowl in 2019, as well as the NFC Championship Game last season with Jimmy Garoppolo as their starting quarterback.

Despite Garoppolo remaining on the roster, all signs indicate Trey Lance will be starting under center for the 49ers in 2022. Garoppolo's shoulder surgery this offseason hindered his trade market, which is the main reason he is still a member of the organization for now. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan has said repeatedly that the team's goal is still to trade Garoppolo.

At No. 9 on PFF's list, the 49ers rank behind the Los Angeles Rams, who came in at No. 3 as a part of the "True Contenders" tier, while the Arizona Cardinals came in at No. 14 as a part of the "Eyes On The Playoffs" tier.