Anything short of a Super Bowl victory this season would be a disappointment for the San Francisco 49ers and their fans. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has led the team to two Super Bowls during his tenure in the Bay Area but fell short both times.
This season may be the current core's last chance in what many believe is a closing championship window. With quarterback Brock Purdy's impending contract extension, the 49ers will soon face tighter salary-cap constraints, possibly leading to the gradual departure of some of the team's biggest stars in the coming years.
However, tight end George Kittle remains confident in the 49ers' management, recently stating, "I think that at any moment, you could just throw a chair through the window and just break it right open."
There is, nonetheless, a likely sense of urgency within the organization.
"I feel like this year, this is our year, and we are determined and focused, and we know what's at stake," cornerback Deommodore Lenoir recently stated. "We know this could possibly be the last dance, so we know what needs to be done."
ESPN experts recently examined the NFL landscape to make predictions for the upcoming season. Despite the 49ers ranking first in ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI), analyst Seth Walder predicts that the team's lack of significant offensive line upgrades in recent offseasons could come back to haunt them.
"The 49ers' middling offensive line play will catch up to them and they fall out of the top four offenses in the league (in terms of expected points added per play) as a result," Walder wrote. "The only lineman they can feel great about is left tackle Trent Williams, and even he carries risk, given that he's 36 years old and currently holding out."
Williams seems in no hurry to return to the field without a restructured deal, which would likely require the 49ers to offer more guaranteed money and a pay raise for one of the NFL's all-time best offensive linemen. If he misses regular-season games, the offense could struggle.
"Left guard Aaron Banks, center Jake Brendel, right guard Spencer Burford and right tackle Colton McKivitz all showed weakness in either run or pass block win rate last season," Walder continued.
ESPN's 49ers reporter, Nick Wagoner, also highlighted the team's depth concerns. While San Francisco boasts one of the NFL's best rosters, a lack of top-end draft picks in recent years has made it top-heavy. The 49ers might struggle to overcome any significant injuries this season.
For fantasy football enthusiasts, analyst Matt Bowen identified wide receiver Jauan Jennings as the most likely sleeper candidate on the 49ers roster.
"A receiver who is more than willing to the dirty work in the run game, Jennings is also a refined route runner who can produce in critical game situations," Bowen wrote. "While Jennings had only 35 receptions last season, 23 of those went for first downs. If Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel Sr. were to miss time, Jennings would elevate into a volume role in Kyle Shanahan's schemed pass game."
ESPN projects 11 wins for the 49ers, giving Shanahan's squad a 67.9% chance to win the NFC West and an 85.6% chance to make the playoffs.