A year ago, the San Francisco 49ers shocked the football world by winning 12 games despite yet another massive injury rash that tore through the entire roster.
Yet that was against a relatively easy schedule and slate of opponents. With the Niners setting yet another NFL travel record, headlined by an unprecedented Week 1 trip to Australia to take on their NFC West rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, things may not be so easy this time around for head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co.
With both L.A. and the Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks boasting higher expectations than San Francisco at this point, perhaps it's a bonus the 49ers are flying a little under the radar.
But the 49ers will still have to overcome plenty of adversity in order to win 10-plus games while hopefully securing a postseason berth; potentially grabbing the NFC West crown after losing it for the last two seasons.
Let's predict how the full 17-game schedule will go.
49ers 2026 game-by-game predictions
- Week 1 @ Rams (Australia)
- Week 2 vs. Dolphins
- Week 3 vs. Cardinals
- Week 4 vs. Broncos
- Week 5 @ Seahawks
- Week 6 vs. Commanders (Monday Night Football)
- Week 7 @ Falcons
- Week 8: Bye
- Week 9 vs. Raiders
- Week 10 @ Cowboys
- Week 11 vs. Vikings (Sunday Night Football)
- Week 12 vs. Seahawks
- Week 13 @ Giants
- Week 14 vs. Rams
- Week 15 @ Chargers (Thursday Night Football)
- Week 16 @ Chiefs
- Week 17 vs. Eagles (Sunday Night Football)
- Week 18 @ Cardinals
Week 1 @ Rams (Australia)
Opening up in a very-meaningful divisional bout across the Pacific Ocean is far from ideal, and doing so against a Los Angeles squad that not only traded for Myles Garrett earlier this offseason but reunited with the now-unretired Aaron Donald makes for an even harder challenge.
Oh, and Matthew Stafford is the reigning MVP.
True, Shanahan long had the Rams' number. But, pound for pound at the early stage of the season, L.A. far outclasses its NorCal rivals. It'd be best for the Niners to merely escape Australia without any serious injuries.
Prediction: Loss (0-1)
Week 2 vs. Dolphins
The league did San Francisco a bit of a favor by scheduling Week 2's showdown against the rebuilding Miami Dolphins at Levi's Stadium, although the early September heat could be a factor.
Miami might be in the running for the No. 1 overall draft pick this April, and it wouldn't be a shock if it won only three or four games over the course of 2026.
Week 2 won't be one of them.
Prediction: Win (1-1)
Week 3 vs. Cardinals
Usually, two divisional games in three weeks to open a season would be a brutal stretch, but like the Dolphins, the Arizona Cardinals are also in all-out rebuild mode under a former 49ers assistant, Mike LaFleur.
Jacoby Brissett is still likely going to be under center for the red birds this early in the season, and the Carson Beck experiment will have to wait a while. And despite some offensive weaponry, Brissett's abilities don't exactly inspire a lot of confidence.
Coupled with an Arizona defense rebuilding from the ground up, the Niners should have no trouble getting to 2-1 on the season.
Prediction: Win (2-1)
Week 4 vs. Broncos
In what might be more of the underrated-yet-exciting matchups on San Francisco's calendar, hosting the Denver Broncos in Week 4 has no shortage of entertainment. Bo Nix is back and will look to build upon his impressive 2025 campaign, Talanoa Hufanga visits the venue that helped build his career and Dre Greenlaw will have a chance to enact some vengeance on his one-year employer.
This almost feels like a "pick-em" game, but given the 49ers are at home, let's give the edge to the red and gold.
Prediction: Win (3-1)
Week 5 @ Seahawks
The Niners should be motivated to beat Denver, because it'll be a tall task to head up to Lumen Field and beat the Hawks, who'll be more than eager to waive their championship flags for winning the Super Bowl on San Francisco's home turf last February.
Seattle outclasses the 49ers in nearly every aspect, but the most important element will be how Mike Macdonald's defense continues to frustrate Shanahan and Brock Purdy.
That'll be a big factor and likely plays out in a game where the Niners fail to generate much offense at all.
Prediction: Loss (3-2)
Week 6 vs. Commanders (Monday Night Football)
Had Brandon Aiyuk gotten his release and found his way to the Washington Commanders, this tilt would've been far more provocative.
Instead, it turns into a grudge match for Deebo Samuel, who might be asked to shoulder a bigger load if Mike Evans continues to be dinged up over the course of the year.
Cross-country travel does Washington in, and San Francisco takes advantage in a rebound game.
Prediction: Win (4-2)
Week 7 @ Falcons
It's still unknown who'll start under center for the Atlanta Falcons, Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix, and the Week 1 starter may be completely different from who's taking snaps in Week 7.
Atlanta's uncertainty helps offset the 49ers' first major road trip since Week 1, and by the numbers, the Niners outclass the Falcons anyway.
Especially if Raheem Morris is able to stick it to the team that fired him last winter.
Prediction: Win (5-2)
Week 8: Bye
San Francisco couldn't have asked for a better bye week. Thank you, NFL.
Week 9 vs. Raiders
Like the Falcons, the Las Vegas Raiders have a quarterbacking dilemma, but the succession plan is clearly in place—Kirk Cousins eventually giving way to the rookie, Fernando Mendoza.
Whether or not that transition has happened by this point is anyone's guess, but first-year head coach Klint Kubiak still has plenty of work cut out for him.
If the 49ers are slightly rusty after their bye, they couldn't have asked for a better opponent and should walk away with an easy victory at home.
Prediction: Win (6-2)
Week 10 @ Cowboys
The Niners have absolutely owned the Dallas Cowboys in recent years—the last time Dallas beat San Francisco was back in 2020.
True, the Cowboys' defensive front is stacked, which will present problems for a questionable 49ers offensive line.
That said, the Niners' trend for dominating Dallas shows no signs of ending anytime soon.
Prediction: Win (7-2)
Week 11 vs. Vikings (Sunday Night Football)
Kyler Murray has always been a thorn in San Francisco's side, while Jauan Jennings will have plenty of motivation to show his former employer why it was a mistake to let him go.
That said, it wouldn't be a shocker to see the Minnesota Vikings flounder around the .500 mark for much of the season, and given how poorly the 49ers have performed in Minnesota over the decades, it's certainly good this primetime tilt is at Levi's Stadium.
Tack on another home win.
Prediction: Win (8-2)
Week 12 vs. Seahawks
Until Shanahan and Purdy can figure out how to unlock the formula behind Macdonald's defense, the chances of beating Seattle (at home or away) are awfully slim.
Despite its hot start, San Francisco crashes back down to earth in this one... hard.
Prediction: Loss (8-3)
Week 13 @ Giants
That loss to the Seahawks might have some lingering effects, and the schedule makers did no favors by asking the 49ers to travel all the way across the country to face a John Harbaugh-led New York Giants squad after what promises to be a brutal and costly in-division bout the week prior.
Sure, the G-Men aren't on the same level as the Niners in nearly any capacity. But the D-line is a threat, and Jaxson Dart showed plenty of pluck a season ago to be considered a legitimate threat.
It's not a complete trap game, but the factors add up to work against San Francisco in what'll be a tough road loss on the East Coast.
Prediction: Loss (8-4)
Week 14 vs. Rams
Losing three in a row would be the only thing worse than back-to-back losses, but that seems to be the unfortunate trend for Shanahan and Co.
The 49ers barely managed to split the season series a year ago, and roster-wise, L.A. improved dramatically over the season and will have every reason to put the clamp down on its NFC West rival to sweep the series.
That stinks, but it's likely the hard reality the Niners have to face in 2026.
Prediction: Loss (8-5)
Week 15 @ Chargers (Thursday Night Football)
All those San Francisco fans who are (rightfully) upset at the Rams requesting to play the 49ers in Australia instead of at SoFI Stadium at least get some solace knowing the Niners still visit the venue, albeit against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Sure, the Bolts (as well as the Rams) have likely gotten used to other teams' fanbases taking over their home stadium. But for San Francisco fans, angered by Week 1's decision, will make this one personal.
Combined with the Chargers' tendency to fall apart late in the season, the 49ers get back on track with a desperately needed win.
Prediction: Win (9-5)
Week 16 @ Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are truly an anomaly heading into 2026 after collapsing last season, ending their perceived dynasty.
At this point, though, Patrick Mahomes should be back in full force, although his supporting cast has no shortage of question marks, and the defense is no longer the formidable unit it once was back when K.C. handed the Niners their most recent Super Bowl losses.
While it won't come as an equal solace, it sure would be rewarding for Shanahan to finally stick it to Kansas City after those two February heartbreaks, so let's go with that storyline here.
Prediction: Win (10-5)
Week 17 vs. Eagles (Sunday Night Football)
San Francisco's Wild Card victory over the Philadelphia Eagles ultimately had the hidden blessing for Philly in how it truly revealed why offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo needed to get the boot.
We'll see how Sean Mannion handles offensive play-calling duties, but Philadelphia should have plenty of motivation to stunt the 49ers' push for a playoff spot this late in the season, especially if Jalen Hurts wants to put himself back into the MVP conversation.
About the only X-factor working in the Niners' favor here would be Deebo, but his vintage performances against the Eagles are a thing of the past now, and that won't be enough to save a win for the Niners in prime time.
Prediction: Loss (10-6)
Week 18 @ Cardinals
At this point, Arizona is likely playing for better draft positioning and wondering which pieces are worth retaining heading into 2027, while San Francisco desperately wants to get a victory to close out the regular season—it'll matter, both in terms of conference record and standings in the division.
While closing out the regular season with a high-profile winner-take-all-type of matchup against a squad like the Rams or Seahawks would've been far more exciting, the 49ers should happily accept what'll easily be viewed as a gifted victory to wrap up Week 18.
Prediction: Win (11-6)
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