The San Francisco 49ers spent the offseason reshaping their roster in an effort to keep pace with the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in what may be the NFL's toughest division. Whether those moves will be enough remains to be seen. We'll learn much more about the 49ers' roster when the team kicks off its regular season against the Rams in Australia.
With training camp still weeks away, this is the time of year when analysts roll out rankings for nearly every aspect of the NFL. One of ESPN's latest evaluates the projected starting lineup for every team. It's important to note that these aren't power rankings, as factors such as coaching and scheme aren't considered.
The Rams claimed the top spot with a roster viewed as the NFL's best entering the 2026 season. The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks ranked No. 3, behind only the Rams and Philadelphia Eagles.
The 49ers checked in at No. 11, with ESPN projecting the following starting lineup:
Offense
- QB: Brock Purdy
- RB: Christian McCaffrey
- FB: Kyle Juszczyk
- WR: Mike Evans
- WR: Ricky Pearsall
- WR: Christian Kirk
- TE: George Kittle
- LT: Trent Williams
- LG: Robert Jones
- C: Jake Brendel
- RG: Dominick Puni
- RT: Colton McKivitz
Defense
- DT: Osa Odighizuwa
- DT: Alfred Collins
- DT: C.J. West
- EDGE: Nick Bosa
- EDGE: Mykel Williams
- LB: Fred Warner
- LB: Dre Greenlaw
- CB: Deommodore Lenoir
- CB: Renardo Green
- CB: Upton Stout
- S: Malik Mustapha
- S: Ji'Ayir Brown
Biggest 49ers roster strength and weakness
ESPN's Mike Clay identified the 49ers' quarterback position as their biggest strength, citing Brock Purdy's continued emergence and the presence of veteran backup Mac Jones.
"I could've gone a few directions here, but Brock Purdy's continued strong play, coupled with Mac Jones' solid performance in relief duty last season, is enough to push quarterback to the top," Clay wrote. "Durability has been an issue for Purdy, but his efficiency has been elite, as he has finished his three seasons as a starter ranked first, seventh and, most recently, second in QBR. He threw 20 TDs in only nine games last season -- a pace matched only by Matthew Stafford."
Despite the addition of Osa Odighizuwa, Clay still considers San Francisco's interior defensive line its biggest weakness.
"This is the same concern area as last year, and the 49ers went on to finish 31st in pressures (157) and last in sacks (20) in 2025," Clay wrote. "Some help was added in the form of Osa Odighizuwa, who was effective while playing 62% of Dallas' defensive snaps during his first five pro seasons. Behind him are second-year players Alfred Collins and C.J. West, who tied for the second-worst PFF grade among 115 qualified defensive tackles last season, and fourth-round rookie Gracen Halton."
49ers X-factor for 2026
Seth Walder named veteran wide receiver Mike Evans, who joined the 49ers this offseason after a long run with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as the team's biggest X-factor entering 2026.
"He signed a below-market deal that made him a no-brainer addition for the 49ers," Walder wrote. "But it would be foolish to pretend there isn't risk. Evans will be 33 before the season starts, he played in only eight games in 2025, and his open score dropped to a below-average 46 (the scale goes from 0 to 99). He scored a 91 the prior season. If Evans isn't what the 49ers hope or expect, San Francisco will quickly become very reliant on Ricky Pearsall, Christian Kirk and/or second-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling."
Notable 49ers non-starter
Aaron Schatz highlighted rookie wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling as the non-starter to watch for the 49ers in 2026—a player who didn't factor into ESPN's starting lineup rankings but could make a significant impact this season.
"Kyle Shanahan offenses used to dominate the league in yards after the catch," Schatz wrote. "But last season, Pearsall was last in the league in YAC vs. expectation, and new 49er Evans was next-to-last. So where are the 49ers going to get their big YAC plays? Perhaps they will come from this tall and fast second-round rookie out of Ole Miss, who will start out competing with Kirk for snaps out of the slot."
Mentioned in this article: Nick Bosa, Jake Brendel, Ji'Ayir Brown, Alfred Collins, Mike Evans, Renardo Green, Dre Greenlaw, Gracen Halton, Mac Jones, Kyle Juszczyk, Christian Kirk, George Kittle, Deommodore Lenoir, Christian McCaffrey, Colton McKivitz, Malik Mustapha, Osa Odighizuwa, Ricky Pearsall, Dominick Puni, Brock Purdy, Upton Stout, De'Zhaun Stribling, Fred Warner, C.J. West, Trent Williams, Mykel Williams
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