Tyler Sullivan of CBS Sports revealed his winners and losers following the NFL's release of its 272-game schedule, and the San Francisco 49ers were among the teams he labeled as winners. While the games still need to be played, and it's too early to predict a full turnaround from last season's disappointing 6-11 finish, there are reasons for optimism.
Early predictions for 2025 are mixed. Some analysts believe the 49ers could face another tough season, but others are more hopeful. One bold projection even has San Francisco finishing 12-5, double their win total from a year ago. That may be a bit ambitious considering the roster turnover this offseason, but it's not out of the question.
So, why did Sullivan put the 49ers in the "winners" category after the NFL's big schedule reveal? It essentially comes down to the relative ease of their 2025 schedule.
"The San Francisco 49ers were hit hard by injuries in 2024, which helped derail their season," Sullivan wrote. "As they look to leave last season well behind them in the rearview mirror, their fortunes are looking up in 2025. Based on their opponents' combined over/under win total for the upcoming season, San Francisco has the fourth-easiest schedule in the NFL."
It gets even better when looking at last year's win percentages. Based on their 2024 opponents' records, the 49ers have the easiest strength of schedule in the league. Their 2025 opponents posted a combined league-low winning percentage of .415 last season.
"The Niners also square off against just three teams that made the playoffs in 2024: Los Angeles Rams (twice), Houston Texans, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers," Sullivan noted.
Even better, San Francisco will have faced all three playoff opponents by Week 10. That sets up a favorable final stretch of the season, featuring matchups against teams like the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, and Chicago Bears. And they'll even get a nice little break during that stretch.
"The Niners also have a well-situated bye week coming in Week 14," Sullivan noted. "After that, three of their final four games on the season are at home, with their lone road game being in Indianapolis to face the Colts."
The 49ers' schedule may be exactly what they need in 2025—a chance to bounce back from a frustrating season, with time for their overhauled defense to find its footing.
H/t to Peter Panacy of Niner Noise for the find.