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The San Francisco 49ers went all in to reach the Super Bowl and win it in 2022, trading for running back Christian McCaffrey midway through the season. They gave it a go but came up short, losing to Philadelphia in the NFC Championship. San Francisco had no one healthy to play quarterback in the second half of that game, so who knows if things could have been different otherwise? Whatever the case, the 49ers have unfinished business heading into the 2023 and once again have a great opportunity to go all the way.
Let’s take a look at the odds and best bets to be made on the San Francisco 49ers this year.
San Francisco 49ers breakdown
2022 record: 13-4
2022 ATS record: 11-6
2022 O/U record: 9-8
Key players in: Javon Hargrave (DT), Sam Darnold (QB), Isaiah Oliver (CB), Jon Feliciano (C), Clelin Ferrell (DE)
Key players out: Mike McGlinchey (OT), Jimmy Garoppolo (QB), Charles Omenihu (DE), Samson Ebukam (DE), Jimmie Ward (S), Azeez Al-Shaair (LB)
2023 NFL Draft class: Ji’Ayir Brown (S), Jake Moody (K), Cameron Latu (TE), Darrell Luter Jr. (CB), Robert Beal Jr. (DE), Dee Winters (LB), Brayden Willis (TE), Ronnie Bell (WR), Jalen Graham (LB)
San Francisco 49ers 2023 NFL season odds
Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl odds
The 49ers are +1000 to win Super Bowl LVIII. That puts them as the fourth favorites behind the Chiefs, Eagles and Bills.
San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship odds
San Francisco is +400 to win the NFC, good for second behind Philadelphia (+250).
San Francisco 49ers NFC West odds
At -160, the 49ers are the favorites to win the NFC West. They are ahead of the Seahawks (+195), Rams (+1000) and Cardinals (+2500).
San Francisco 49ers win total odds
The 49ers’ win quota is 10.5 games, with the over priced as a -145 favorite and the under coming in with +125 odds. Exact records of 11-5 and 12-4 are both +500.
San Francisco 49ers 2023 schedule
Week 1: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 2: at Los Angeles Rams
Week 3: vs New York Giants (Thursday)
Week 4: vs Arizona Cardinals
Week 5: vs Dallas Cowboys
Week 6: at Cleveland Browns
Week 7: at Minnesota Vikings (Monday)
Week 8: vs Cincinnati Bengals
Week 9: BYE
Week 10: at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 11: vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 12: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 13: at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 14: vs Seattle Seahawks (Thursday)
Week 15: at Arizona Cardinals
Week 16: vs Baltimore Ravens (Monday)
Week 17: at Washington Commanders
Week 18: vs Los Angeles Rams
San Francisco 49ers 2022 season recap
The 49ers went 10-1 in the regular season after trading for McCaffrey, losing only to the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs before reeling off double-digit wins in a row. They took care of Seattle and Dallas in the first two rounds of the playoffs before enduring the complete disaster that was the NFC Championship. With QBs Brock Purdy and Josh Johnson both getting hurt, San Francisco finished with a grand total of 83 passing yards during a 31-7 loss. I don’t think it would be too much of a stretch to say that it was the worst conference championship game in the history of football.
San Francisco 49ers 2023 NFL season predictions
It goes without saying that San Francisco should be champing at the bit heading into this season. Last year’s conclusion surely left a sour taste in the team’s mouth. The 49ers had enough talent to win it all but were undone by injuries. If they can stay healthy this time around, there is no reason why the Lombardi Trophy shouldn’t be in reach.
Here are a couple of my predictions for the San Francisco 49ers this season.
Best bet: Christian McCaffrey to win NFL Offensive Player of the Year (+1500)
If the 49ers’ win total was set at 11.5 instead of 10.5, I would hammer the under. I am much less inclined to back under 10.5 and I don’t love any other future plays on the Niners, so I will look to an individual award. At +1500 odds (the third favorite behind Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase), McCaffrey has good value to win Offensive Player of the Year. He understandably needed a bit of an adjustment period in his new offense, but over the course of the last 6 regular-season games he scored 7 touchdowns and rushed for more than 100 yards in 3 of the last 5. McCaffrey also had 85 catches for 741 yards last season. In a full season with San Francisco and having to carry an offense that has no proven quarterback, he could go crazy in 2023.
San Francisco 49ers season record predictions
I’m not super high on this team because this is a quarterback-driven league and I’m not sold on Brock Purdy, Trey Lance or Sam Darnold. Nonetheless, the 49ers should be really good again thanks to McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and a great defense. Moreover, the schedule is not particularly difficult and the Eagles are their only rough road game. I think San Francisco can get to 11 wins, so even at modest +500 odds that record arguably has the best value.