How the San Francisco 49ers Could Hold the Key to Winning the NFC West

The San Francisco 49ers hold the key to winning the NFC West. The question is whether their depth is good enough to put them over the edge. According to Moe Moton of Bleacher Report, the depth is worthy of being the biggest X-factor in the division, potentially being what can knock off the defending Super Bowl champions.

The San Francisco 49ers' X-Factor can win them a Super Bowl in 2026

The 49ers are currently third in most power rankings of the NFC West. That is fair when you consider the Super Bowl champions and the team that they barely beat in the NFC Championship are the two teams ahead of them. However, San Francisco has what it takes to beat both of those teams, and they went 2-3 against them last year, if you include the postseason.

San Francisco was a win against the Seahawks away from having home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and potentially being in the position that Seattle currently is. However, their roster completely fell apart, and they were not nearly a good enough team in both of their late-season losses to the Seahawks.

Now that their roster is deeper, they have a chance to make a run.

The 49ers lost Trent Williams, and Austen Pleasants struggled on the road against the Seahawks. The 49ers added both Vederien Lowe and Enrique Cruz this offseason. That is not flashy, but it gives them experience and upside in their depth.

The receiver room is much deeper than it was a year prior, and the running back room has an infusion of youth. Their cornerback room has added multiple potential starters without losing any starters, and the linebacker room is deeper than it ever has been. With upgraded depth on the edge and interior, this is a team that is set to survive injuries this year.

They already had the high-end talent and their coach can go head-to-head with Sean McVay and Mike MacDonald. Now that the 49ers have a roster that has fewer holes and more depth, the questions around this roster are starting to fade away. Even as the third team in the division, most fans are expecting the team to beat the Seahawks and Rams and take a run at the Super Bowl.

That speaks to how big of an X-factor the depth could end up being this season. It could change the entire NFC West landscape.

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