NFL power rankings 2023: Are 49ers ranked too high entering Week 1?

With the 2023 regular season on the horizon, Niner Noise looks at where the experts are placing the 49ers in their Week 1 NFL power rankings.

Even after yet another tumultuous offseason, one that saw trading off former top-three NFL Draft picks, questionable draft selections last April and the best defensive player in all of football holding out, the San Francisco 49ers are still widely viewed as a top Super Bowl contender heading into the 2023 season.

There are some major concerns, yes. In relation to the above whirlwind, was trading quarterback Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys the right move? How about using third-round draft picks on a kicker, Jake Moody, and a tight end in Cameron Latu who's going to miss all of his rookie year with an injury?

Oh, and there's All-Pro edge Nick Bosa's lingering holdout amid a contract dispute. That's not yet resolved, even though it should be.

That last part should trigger some bigger concerns for a Niners squad that heads to Pennsylvania to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1. Sure, San Francisco might be a road favorite, but Week 1 games can always be weird, and there's nary a season in which Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin doesn't have his squad prepared, even if Pittsburgh has its own share of roster holes.

For now, though, the bulk of NFL analysts still view the 49ers as top-end contenders heading into the regular season.

So, to gauge whether or not those are accurate takes in light of the Niners' own problems right now, let's take a look at what the experts said in their Week 1 NFL power rankings.

And determine if San Francisco is ranked too high (or too low).

NFL power rankings, Week 1: 49ers holding onto one of top 5 spots to start 2023 season

Should the 49ers be a top-five team? Every NFL power rankings list compiled here thought so.

Eric Edholm, NFL.com: No. 4

"Thankfully, the Niners are pretty stacked at most positions, and as last season proved, they can win big with multiple quarterbacks starting. Purdy's surpassed all expectations and has returned from injury, which likely made it easier for the team to trade Trey Lance. But there’s no doubt that questions remain about whether the former Mr. Irrelevant is the team’s QB of the future heading into the 2023 season."

ESPN Staff: No. 4

"On the hot seat: DT Javon Kinlaw

Kinlaw's career to this point has been marred by a persistent knee issue that has limited him to 24 games and 1.5 sacks in his first three seasons since being drafted at No. 14 in 2020. The Niners opted not to exercise Kinlaw's fifth-year option in May, which means he's in the final year of his rookie deal."

David Helman, Fox Sports: No. 5

"It's insane that a team without a settled quarterback situation is one of the league's best, but that's a testament to the roster they've built in Santa Clara. Even knowing what he did as a rookie, it's hard to rank Brock Purdy highly among contending quarterbacks. But that's not a problem if your offense is loaded with All-Pros and your front office added Javon Hargrave to a defense that was among the league's elite. All that's missing is Nick Bosa, who will hopefully get his contract extension soon."

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: No. 5

"If Brock Purdy plays like he did last year, they can win it all. He has so many playmakers, led by Christian McCaffrey, to make it work."

Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: No. 2

"If they can keep Brock Purdy healthy all year, they have enough around him to win it all."

Bleacher Report Staff: No. 5

"The 49ers have a Super Bowl-caliber roster: Offensive firepower, offensive line and one of the NFL's top defenses. It's all there. But without solid quarterback play, they aren't dethroning the Eagles in the NFC."

Well, aside from the homer-side of us coming through, Florio is probably a bit too generous with his assessment that San Francisco is No. 2 in the league in power rankings.

The folks over at B/R would certainly disagree, particularly knowing the team that beat the 49ers in the NFC Championship game last January, the Philadelphia Eagles, are notably deeper than the Niners right now.

Although San Francisco can hopefully keep Purdy upright and healthy.

So, are the 49ers overrated in NFL power rankings? Probably not, and some may think that a fifth spot isn't warranted. Being at No. 4 or potentially even No. 3 could be more accurate, although the four or five other teams in the running for top-five spots all have established and experienced quarterbacks.

Bosa, however, could help offset that by his presence, which will make a big deal in determining the outcome of the Niners' season opener in Pittsburgh this Sunday.