Last week, FanDuel listed the Dallas Cowboys among the top four. This week, Bovada has Dallas out of the top six and placed the Super Bowl runner-up Cincinnati Bengals just above San Francisco.
The Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs share identical betting odds for the top spot. The Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams come in third. The 49ers remain in fifth place, just ahead of the Green Bay Packers and Cowboys.
The 49ers beat both Super Bowl participants during the regular season, sweeping the division-rival Rams before finally falling to them in the NFC Championship Game.
While San Francisco has s solid core group of star players, the team is expected to make a change at quarterback, likely transitioning from Jimmy Garoppolo to last year's No. 3 overall pick, Trey Lance.
For now, oddsmakers see the 49ers as contenders in 2022.