Charvarius Ward is key to 49ers shutting down Russell Wilson, Broncos

The 49ers’ prized offseason investment in Charvarius Ward needs to pay dividends when the Niners face Russell Wilson and the Broncos on Sunday.

A year ago, it would have been fair to worry about the San Francisco 49ers secondary when matched up against then-Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

Well, a lot has changed since then.

Wilson, of course, is donning new digs with the Denver Broncos. And despite Denver getting off to a sluggish and unimpressive 1-1 start this season, Wilson’s career 16-4 regular-season record against the Niners is always going to be considered a factor.

Particularly when these two teams square off against each other in Week 3 on Sunday Night Football.

As for San Francisco? Well, its prized offseason free-agent pickup of former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Charvarius Ward is already paying off handsomely. Through two games, Ward already has notched 10 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception. More importantly, he’s solidified what was otherwise a questionable cornerback depth chart for the 49ers, turning what was previously a weakness into a strength.

The Niners will need that versus Wilson and the Broncos on Sunday.

49ers need Charvarius Ward to bring his A-game vs. Russell Wilson, Broncos

Over his first two games with San Francisco, Ward is forcing opposing quarterbacks to throw for a lowly 28.2 passer rating when targeting him. Granted, the competition the 49ers have faced (Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears and Geno Smith of the Seahawks) doesn’t quite come close to Wilson’s prowess, but it’s an endorsement of Ward nonetheless.

One of the matchups worth watching on Sunday, however, will be Ward’s ability to shut down Denver’s primary wide receiver, Courtland Sutton, who has emerged as Wilson’s favorite target on the year and has a team-high 194 yards thus far.

Having spent his first four pro years in the AFC West, Ward is no stranger to Sutton and the Broncos as a whole, but Wilson is a new face.

Read More: 49ers vs. Broncos: Week 3 betting odds, prediction

Despite Denver’s struggles under first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett, it’s not like we’re talking about those old Broncos teams with sub-par quarterbacking.

Fortunately, the Niners enter this bout with the NFL’s best passing defense, giving up a mere 285 yards over those first two games, and the defensive efforts go far beyond just facing lackluster talent.

With Wilson looking to integrate Sutton into the gameplan on Sunday, though, Ward being able to lock him down with regularity will be one of the decisive X-factors in determining whether or not San Francisco’s stout defense can continue.

And if the 49ers indeed improve to 2-1 on the young season.