49ers' Brutal Back End of Schedule Forces Fast Start in 2026

The back end of the San Francisco 49ers' 2026 schedule might not be kind to them. The 49ers take on four playoff teams in their final seven games. In two of the other three games, they take on the Kansas City Chiefs, who should be much improved, and the New York Giants, who upgraded at head coach. Eric Williams of Fox Sports writes that the 49ers need a hot start or else they are going to be swimming in deep water in the back half of 2026.

The San Francisco 49ers need to stack wins early in 2026

The 49ers do get the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18. The hope is that the 49ers do not need that win either, but if they do need it, the Cardinals could certainly be focused on the NFL Draft by that stage of the season. So, there could be one win on the back end.

However, from November 29, when they host the Seattle Seahawks, through the end of the calendar year, the 49ers will be in for a tough run of games.

It starts with the defending Super Bowl champions, and they have to go off a hard-hitting matchup to travel to the East Coast to take on the Giants. The Giants game might seem soft on paper, but the team might be improved with John Harbaugh, and the game is sandwiched between division games on the West Coast. That is not an easy run. At least the team hosts the Rams in Week 14, but coming back from the East Coast will not make it easy.

Then, in Week 15 it is Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers, in Week 16, it is Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, and in Week 17, it is the Philadelphia Eagles. This is not an easy run of games.

The issue is that it is not like starting fast will be easy for the 49ers, either. They start with a game in Australia against the Rams. While they do get the Miami Dolphins at home, it comes after a long trip. Still, starting 0-2 cannot be on the table for a team that has so many tough games late in the season.

With the Dolphins and Cardinals as the two teams following the Rams in Week 1, the team will have to start 2-1 at the worst. Of course, 3-0 would be preferred.

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