49ers are the Favorites to Win the NFC West
Winning the division is the immediate goal of the San Francisco 49ers.
If they can lock up the NFC West, it will typically mean they earn a higher seed in the NFC playoff race.
While getting to the playoffs will suffice, the 49ers need a division berth to enhance their odds of reaching the NFC Championship. Luckily for them, the 49ers are listed as the favorites to win the NFC West by Draftkings Sportsbook at +185. The Rams are right behind the 49ers with the next best odds at +190, then the Seahawks at +275, and lastly it is the Cardinals who are vastly behind at +550.
To win the NFC West, the 49ers are going to need to exude dominance. It is easily the strongest division in football. The Rams, Seahawks and Cardinals each present a unique challenge to the 49ers and can knock them off in a matchup. It won't be easy to win the division, so is it valid to have the 49ers as the favorites?
I think you can make a case for each of the teams in the division to be the favorite. Ultimately in my eyes, the teams that should be regarded as potential NFC West winners are the 49ers and the Rams. It is no surprise to see they are both neck and neck in the odds on Draftkings. Both of these teams have phenomenal coaches who call elite offenses and have strong defenses.
However, the edge to me goes to the Rams because they have Matthew Stafford. Finally, Sean McVay has a quarterback that doesn't handicap his playcalling. No longer will he have to cater to and cover up the weaknesses of his quarterback. No longer will he be plagued by drive-killing turnovers or incomplete passes. You can't say the same for Kyle Shanahan who is presumably rolling with Jimmy Garoppolo to start the season.
The race in the NFC West is certainly going to be exciting and stressful for 49ers fans.
