Injuries have been a big part of the San Francisco 49ers' landscape this summer. But at least Christian McCaffrey looks solid so far. Assuming the 49ers don’t get devastated by injuries, here are three bold predictions for the 2025 NFL season.
Closing with four straight losses, the 49ers went 6-11 last season. They also lost seven of their last eight games after a reasonable 5-4 start. However, they have reason for optimism in 2025.
If they can get their wide receiver group in a better state of health, the offense could click and hum like the 49ers have done in recent good years.
49ers will reach 12 wins
This may not seem like a hugely bold prediction, but the 49ers have been knocked down a notch or two by some NFL observers. Some have even suggested it could be another long season.
If you look at the ESPN Super Bowl odds, the 49ers are tabbed at 20-1 with an over-under of 10.5 wins. But a lot of that is based on tradition. And the 49ers will have to prove Purdy can get things done even without a star-studded surrounding cast at the receiver position.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan is firmly in Purdy’s corner, according to Sports Illustrated. He said he envisions an elite level of play from Purdy.
“That’s what you hope for,” Shanahan said. “That’s also asking a lot from him. Brock did come into a good situation, where we were at the prime of our team, and that made it a lot easier for him to play at one of the highest levels in the league. I mean, the film shows it. Everything shows it. But his job gets harder when those guys aren’t there. Now, does that mean he’s got to play better? Yeah, you hope you can elevate his game.
“Yeah, it puts more pressure on a guy when you don’t have All-Pros in a bunch of spots, but Brock’s the one that can do it. Brock’s the one who I think will play better.”
Purdy has a career record of 23-13. But he went 6-9 last season. His completion percentage was down from the previous year, and he threw for fewer yards. Also, he tossed 11 fewer touchdowns with one more interception.
But Purdy said he learned from that tough year, according to Sports Illustrated.
“I would say I was frustrated about losing the Super Bowl, and it was like, Alright, we got to get back,” he says. “That’s all I saw, was getting back. And because some of those guys are out, I have to go make plays to get us back … I was losing sight of, Bro, keep every play as simple as possible. And don’t complicate it.”
Christian McCaffrey will start 15 games
And this is a big reason why the 49ers will rack up more wins. If McCaffrey plays half that many games, don’t expect the 49ers to be in the playoffs. Their new backup running back, Brian Robinson Jr., is a massive drop from McCaffrey. And Isaac Guerendo can’t stay healthy, struggles to stay healthy, too.
With McCaffrey being available most of the season, the statistics will pile up. In each of his three NFL seasons with 15 or more starts, he has totaled double-digit touchdowns. He had 13 total scores in 2018, 19 touchdowns in 2019, racked up 13 scores in 2022, and also added 21 scores in 2023.
It’s simply a matter of availability.
And Shanahan said McCaffrey looks ripped and ready, according to ninersnation.com.
“He’s as fast as he’s been, as quick, as strong. So, he’s Christian McCaffrey.”
Furthermore, he said McCaffrey looks blazing on the field, according to newsweek.com.
“Yeah. I think he hit like 25 (MPH) yesterday or something like that,” Shanahan said. “I'm just making that up. Trying to make Christian happy. He's doing awesome. He's as fast as he's been. (And) he's quick. He's strong. He's Christian McCaffrey.”
49ers DE Mykel Williams will finish top 3 of DROY voting
He won’t necessarily dominate, but the 49ers are going to put him in positions to make big plays. It’s not the total number of sacks that Williams gets, but rather the impact of those things.
Shanahan has already been impressed with Williams, according to ninerswire.com.
“Just watching the style of how he played in college, he’s just technical and stuff,” Shanahan said. “I thought that jumped out on his tape the most, how good he is with his hands. A lot of pass rushers coming out of college who are talented like him and just use their talent. But he's as good with his hands as anyone I've seen coming out. And it's transferred over to practice, too.”
Making it clear that the 49ers expect big things from Williams, they’ve installed him as a starter on their depth chart. So the opportunities to shine will come as early as Week 1.
