The Former 49er Who Could Cause Problems for San Francisco in Week 4

Watch out.

Aug 14, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (9) in action against the Atlanta Falcons in the first quater at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Francisco 49ers will be wary of one player when they face the Denver Broncos in Week 4, and it happens to be their former player, Talanoa Hufanga.

Hufanga joined Denver in 2025 and it's fair to say he's showing to be a very capable player. The 49ers need to keep him in check this weekend.

Already, when you look at his Pro Football Focus stats, it shows he's having a good year. His overall grade is 75.3, putting him 15th, but his grade in coverage is 84.3, ranking fourth in the league. It shows just how effective he has been.

Hufanga put on an impressive display against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, recording two important fourth-quarter interceptions to help the Broncos win. One of those catches saw a return of 66 yards for a touchdown, with the other sealing the win. He recorded a sack, a quarterback hit, five total tackles and three passes defended.

While the 49ers can be thankful as it helps them establish a small lead in the NFC West, it shows just how effective he has been in coverage, and that could be a problem for the 49ers.

Jan 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (9) before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hufanga knows this offense better than most opposing safeties because of his four-year stint in San Francisco and how Kyle Shanahan utilises his offense.

Tight end George Kittle spoke to our very own Grant Cohn discussing Hufanga ahead of the game, stating: “He’s watching every single game. He’s watching tendencies. He’s watching guys break down on their routes. How do you not let him do that? Well, hopefully he gets us wrong a couple times.

“Those instinctual players, right? He’s gonna make plays, and we gotta make sure he doesn’t make all the plays,” Kittle added. “We have a lot of really good players, so it is what it is. …If we can take advantage of some of that stuff, it should be pretty fun.”

This matchup presents a potential for Brock Purdy. Hufanga is just one of multiple names on that Broncos roster who form a tough defence.

Purdy has been extremely efficient all season, completing 72.3% of his passes, the highest of his career so far. But it's only been 3 games.

Kittle will likely be the biggest matchup for Hufanga, and while he has impressed greatly on his return from his Achilles injury, it represents a step up in competition for him, too. That could force the 49ers to be more creative with how they use Kittle.