3 Bold 49ers Predictions for the 2026 Season

Here are three bold predictions.

Sep 22, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan meet on the field following the game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers enter the 2026 season with high expectations of returning to the playoffs.

They are heavily favored to return to the playoffs and, by some metrics, are considered among the teams capable of winning the Super Bowl despite entering the season as the third-best team in the NFC West behind the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

The 49ers appear improved from last season, though questions remain about just how high their ceiling is.

Here are three bold predictions for the upcoming season.

Prediction 1: Brock Purdy finishes as an MVP finalist

Provided Brock Purdy stays fully healthy throughout the season, he has a strong possibility of finishing the season as an MVP finalist.

The thought process is that in 2023, he started 16 games and finished fourth in MVP voting after setting the franchise record for passing yards. He threw for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns, finishing the season with an impressive 113.0 passer rating.

While some, for some reason, continue to question Purdy's talent, the bigger storyline should be his ability to remain healthy. If he can do that, the production should follow, as he has already proven himself to be one of the league's most efficient quarterbacks. He has yet to stay fully healthy for an entire season since 2023.

Prediction No. 2: Ricky Pearsall leads the 49ers in receiving yards

Dec 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (1) celebrates in the first half against the Chicago Bears at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The 49ers made a huge statement by bringing in future Hall of Famer Mike Evans this season, but his usage at OTAs so far suggests his impact will come more from making catches along the sideline than from working over the middle or stretching the field deep.

Therefore, while Evans will likely rack up touchdowns and become the first 49ers wide receiver since Terrell Owens to record double-digit touchdowns, Ricky Pearsall could lead the team in receiving yards and finally show in 2026 why he is such an important part of the franchise's future. Staying fit is so important.

Prediction No. 3: The 49ers defeat the Los Angeles Rams in Australia

Even after the Los Angeles Rams traded for Myles Garrett and enter the new season with the best roster in both the NFC West and the NFC as a whole, let's back the 49ers to open the season with a statement win in the NFL's first international game in Melbourne, Australia.

The 49ers are apparently going to make the trip right after their final preseason game to acclimatise, so the preparation alone suggests backing them, especially given the 16-hour flight for everyone involved in this matchup.