5 49ers to Watch in San Francisco's Season Finale vs Seattle

The 49ers can still end their season on a high note and play spoiler with their division rival by relegating them to the third seed in the NFC.

For the second straight year, the San Francisco 49ers (6-9) end their season against the Seattle Seahawks (11-4), taking on the NFC West foe on Sunday at 1:25 p.m. 

Unlike last season, this game does not hold much bearing on the playoff picture. 

Yet, the 49ers can still end their season on a high note and play spoiler with their division rival by relegating them to the third seed in the NFC. 

Here are five players to watch in the regular season finale: 

Arik Armstead, Defensive Line, San Francisco 49ers 

It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish. 

Arik Armstead did not repeat his successful 2019 (10 sacks), but he can close out the season strong. 

There’s no erasing his lack of pressure compared to his salary (5-year, $85 million). Armstead has just 3.5 sacks, six TFLs and 12 QB hits in 15 games this year. 

Yet four of those TFLs and two of those sacks have come in his past two games. 

He can add to that with a favorable matchup. The Rams sacked Russell Wilson five times last week, three coming from defensive tackles. 

Regardless of where the hybrid Armstead lines up, he should hold an advantage over his offensive line counterpart. 

If he can bring Wilson down once or twice, that would ease some of the offseason worries about his contract, and the defensive line as a whole. 

Ahkello Witherspoon, Cornerback, San Francisco 49ers 

Fourth-year cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon had a rough 2020. 

He was benched in last season’s Divisional playoff game, beaten by Emmanuel Moseley for a starting gig this minicamp, and then buried on the depth chart by Jason Verrett’s emergence. 

From Weeks 6-14, he managed just 19 defensive snaps. 

But Week 15 suddenly granted Witherspoon another chance. Verrett was sick and scratched from the Dallas game. 

Witherspoon looked good and drew a second start against Arizona when Richard Sherman was unable to go. 

He looked even better against the Cardinals, and helped hold their quality offense to just 12 points. 

Now the free-agent-to-be is in line for his third-straight start, and he’ll likely draw D.K. Metcalf. 

In Week 8, Metcalf caught 12 of 15 passes for 161 yards and two touchdowns. Eight catches, 134 yards and both touchdowns came against Moseley. 

The 49ers must find a bigger corner to combat the 6’4 Metcalf. Witherspoon (6’3) is much better suited than Moseley (5’11) or Verrett (5’10). 

If Witherspoon can hold his own, he’d fly to the upper portion of the 49ers’ offseason to-do list. That is, if he’s even considering a return to the team that benched him multiple times. 

Daniel Brunskill, Center, San Francisco 49ers 

Seattle’s dominance of Hroniss Grasu was a key reason that the last matchup got out-of-hand. 

The Seahawks constantly blitzed linebacker Bobby Wagner, who racked up two sacks, three TFLs and four QB hits. 

As a result, the 49ers shifted Daniel Brunskill from right guard to center for the remainder of the season. 

Brunskill was an unsung hero of last-season’s Super Bowl run. His second year with San Francisco, first as a starter, has seen a lot more growing pains. 

Yet, he’s still likely been the second-best player on the line due to underwhelming years from Laken Tomlinson and Mike McGlinchey. 

The 49ers are in need of an offensive line makeover. They could potentially have four new starters on the line depending on if they’re able to re-sign Trent Williams. 

How Brunskill handles the delayed Wagner blitzes, as well as defensive linemen Jarran Reed (6.5 sacks and 14 QB hits) and Poona Ford (eight TFLs and eight QB hits), would better determine whether he should remain at center, or if the 49ers need to go out and find a replacement. 

Richie James, Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers 

The 49ers are without Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. That leaves Kendrick Bourne as the top receiver. 

Bourne is a free agent after the season. At $3.3 million, it’s up in the air whether he returns. 

A nice performance against Seattle could either push him back into the 49ers’ plans, or price himself out. 

Richie James would be the leading candidate to replace Bourne in the case he does not re-sign. 

James entered 2020 as the return-specialist that occasionally ran routes. 

In Week 9, when the 49ers were also without Aiyuk and Samuel, James burned Green Bay with nine catches on 13 targets, for 184 yards and a touchdown. 

Since that career day, James has 11 catches on 17 targets for 144 yards. He’s also fumbled two punts. 

With a full week of practice as part of the game plan, James has a chance to impress against a leaky Seattle secondary (4,318 passing yards allowed is most in NFL). 

Austin Walter, Running Back, San Francisco 49ers 

Running back Jeff Wilson Jr. powered the 49ers to victory last week with 183 yards on 22 carries. 

Wilson has gone from depth to a legitimate piece in the 49ers’ offense. He’s impressed so much that he should enter next season with a promotion. 

But given the commonality of injuries to running backs, San Francisco must find a replacement for Wilson’s important fourth-string position. 

Undrafted rookie Austin Walter, who’s missed the last couple games on the Covid-list, was activated, and should play a role on Sunday. 

It’s clear Tevin Coleman and Jerrick McKinnon are no longer the backs the 49ers signed. Injuries have stolen their speed. 

Kyle Shanahan should use this as a tryout for Walter, and employ him as the 49ers’ change of pace for Wilson. He has just one rush for three yards and one catch for 27. 

Additionally, given James and Trent Taylor’s struggles holding onto the football on special teams, Walter should return kicks. He leads the team with a 21.3 kick-return average on three attempts. 

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