For San Francisco 49ers fans optimistic that a healthier roster will fuel a successful season in 2026, San Francisco Chronicle writer Eric Branch offered a much less encouraging forecast.
Branch released his 10th annual 25 predictions, and fans won't be happy with most of them. That's because the longtime insider isn't optimistic about what the upcoming season holds for the Bay Area team.
Among his predictions: the 49ers will once again rank among the NFL's most injury-plagued teams and ultimately miss the playoffs. Branch believes an aging roster, combined with years of underwhelming draft classes, will be too much for San Francisco to overcome.
"The 49ers' overreliance on aging 30-something players due to their series of lackluster recent drafts will catch up to them (and those NFL-record travel miles won't help)," Branch wrote. "They will finish 9-8, miss the playoffs, and finish in third place in the NFC West behind the Rams and Seahawks."
That projection represents a significant step backward from last season, when the 49ers dealt with numerous injuries but still won 12 regular-season games and reached the playoffs.
Branch also predicts All-Pro tight end George Kittle won't be ready for the 49ers' Week 1 international opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia. However, he expects Kittle to return just one week later for San Francisco's home opener against the Miami Dolphins.
Branch's injury predictions don't stop there. He forecasts quarterback Brock Purdy suffering a sprained AC joint that causes him to miss a couple of starts, which is rather specific. He also projects running back Christian McCaffrey, wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Mike Evans, left tackle Trent Williams, and defensive end Nick Bosa to miss a combined 25 games—an average of five games apiece.
As for the 49ers' rookie class, Branch isn't buying into the offseason hype surrounding running back Kaelon Black. He predicts Black will fail to make an impact, citing the team's recent struggles drafting running backs as a reason for skepticism.
It's certainly not the outlook 49ers fans are hoping for as they look ahead to the 2026 season, hoping the franchise can finally capture its long-awaited sixth Super Bowl championship.
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