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The San Francisco 49ers Week 7 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs will have all eyes on former All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers dropped a bomb on the NFL on Thursday night as news that they acquired McCaffrey in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.
San Francisco gave up a 2nd round, 3rd round, 4th round and a 5th round draft pick to land him. It's quite the package for an oft-injured running back. Nevertheless, he is healthy right now and is a game-changer for any offense. The 49ers lost starting tailback Elijah Mitchell to a sprained MCL in Week 1. He was placed on injured reserve and could return at the earlier midway through the season. That left Jeff Wilson Jr. as the leading running back. Wilson Jr. has done a decent job filling in, but is limited.
Although it is unlikely McCaffrey will know the playbook well enough to have a big role Sunday, initial reports stated that he will have a red zone role. Anytime you play against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, red zone efficiency is extremely important.
So, let's take a look at our 49ers Week 7 predictions for the game against the Chiefs.
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4. 49ers rack up over 130 rush yards
It's no secret that one way to beat Mahomes is to keep him on the sideline. The best way to accomplish that goal is run the football effectively. As I mentioned above, there is a plan for McCaffrey to be involved. But for the most part, you can expect a heavy dose of Wilson Jr. in this game.
The Chiefs defense has shown in recent weeks that they are susceptible to the run. That was particularly true last week in their 24-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Devin Singletary consistently picked up chunk yardage. He rushed for 85 yards on 17 carries, five yards per carry.
Devin Singletary is RB1 #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/I5TkQnPi8l
— Air Raid | Buffalo (@TheBillsGuys) October 19, 2022
I would be very surprised if we don't see something similar from the 49ers Sunday. Wilson Jr. should be productive. But with McCaffrey mostly not in the fold yet, look for Deebo Samuel to have a big impact on the ground as well. One major factor is the possible presence of future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams.
Williams has missed the last few games with an ankle injury. He returned to practice this week and appears on the right side of questionable. That would be a big boost to the 49ers offensive line.
3. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs offense struggles at times again
The Chiefs lead the NFL in points scored this year. That leaves many people to think that the loss of Tyreek Hill has not affected this offense. They would be very wrong. Mahomes has done a great job this year recognizing that 90 second drives and quick strikes are a thing of the past.
He has consistently shown his willingness to methodically work his way down the field. Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster are not scaring anyone deep. But as this Chiefs offense transitions to more 12-play, or 14-play drives, that opens more chances for those drives to stall.
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We saw it back in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs were held to 20 points at home that game until Justin Herbert threw a 99-yard interception returned for a touchdown. The Bills defense held the Chiefs to 20 points also last week.
The 49ers defense when healthy might be the best in the NFL. Granted, they are not close to fully healthy right now. But things are trending in the right direction.
Pro Bowl edge rusher Nick Bosa is practicing and might play. DL Samson Ebukam, DB Jimmie Ward and RT Mike McGlinchey were all limited at practice this week. That is a good sign as they were unavailable last week.
2. 49ers TE George Kittle finds the end zone
The Chiefs have been susceptible to tight ends getting loose at times this year. That coincides with George Kittle coming off his best game of the season. Kittle reeled in eight of 10 targets for 83 yards in their loss to the Atlanta Falcons last week.
The Chiefs are getting healthier defensively on the outside. That will make it difficult on Jimmy Garoppolo outside the numbers. So, look for him to work between the hashes where Kittle works. With Trent Williams likely to return, the Pro Bowl tight end will not be needed to stay in to block nearly as often.
I think he pulls down 5-7 catches for 60 or so yards and a touchdown.
1. San Francisco gets revenge, beats Kansas City
There are a lot of players on this 49ers team that was on the roster when they lost the Super Bowl to the Chiefs a few years ago. Athletes have long memories. The 49ers will be motivated this week at home. They are energized by the McCaffrey trade. They are getting much healthier at the right time.
Look for them to pull off the upset, 26-23.
