Are the San Francisco 49ers Worth an NFL Futures Bet in 2021?

The San Francisco 49ers did not suffer a Super Bowl Hangover. Instead, their collapse from one of the league’s elite came in the form of injuries—a lot of them. Sure, their Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals came before the bug for the most part.

But even with so many players on IR or injured throughout the season, they still eked out a 7-9 record. No, they didn’t win you anything if you placed a futures bet on them. But odds are, the Niners may return faster than expected to the top of the NFL futures universe in 2021.

And today’s post covers all of what you need to know regarding the Niners and their status in the NFL futures realm.

So, if you’re considering the Niners in 2021, today’s post is a must-read. Let’s see what’s in store.

The San Francisco 49ers Tanked at the Right Time

Okay, it wasn’t an intended tank job. But still, this was a good football team that finished with a bad record. At 7-9, the San Francisco 49ers can now claim the 12^th pick in the NFL Draft. And there’s a lot they can do with it.

They can trade the pick and invest in more draft capital. Or if they get rid of Jimmy Garoppolo (per a few rumors) via trade, then they can even trade up and snag someone like Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, Trey Lance, or Mac Jones.

Even if the Niners didn’t win you money, credit them for pulling off a tank job at the right time. They will land a marquee player on a team full of marquee players in the first round if they don’t whiff on the pick.

So, watch out for who they’re targeting in the draft. Because whoever it is, they will immediately contribute to an already dangerous football team. Regardless of what they do, the Niners will become one of the safer bets, even if their record didn’t show it in 2020.

One reason is because their defense remained among the league’s elite. Let’s study it.

The San Francisco 49ers’ Stellar Defense

Even with all the injuries, the 49ers still finished 5^th in total defense. They also ranked 4^th in total yards per play, with a flat 5.0. Along with a 4^th ranking in passing defense and a solid 7^th in rushing defense, it shows you what the 49ers can return to in 2021.

If they cut down on points allowed per game at 24.3, where you can credit short fields for that one, you can make a safe bet the Niners defense can easily lead them back into contention. Not that they’re guaranteed to encroach the over/under, take back the NFC West, or make a playoff run.

But they’ll return to contention. For that, it’s wise to look them off from afar and realize that this remains a championship-caliber unit.

The 49ers’ Free Agent Frenzy

You take one look at the Niners’ free agent frenzy and you can draw a few conclusions. For one, they’re all in, with signings of aging vets like Alex Mack, Trent Williams, Jason Verrett, and others. They also brought back a few pieces, like Kyle Juszczyk.

The Niners are using their 2021 free agency to do one thing, and it’s filling the holes with aging players and one-year rentals. This should tell you a lot for the betting realm: This team is looking to hoist the Lombardi.

You can argue that every team is, as any rational thinker would. But they’re not in a rebuild, and they’re not adding young building blocks. Often, when a team is looking to make a run, this happens (much like what you saw from the Saints in 2019 and 2020).

For you, it means that the Niners may become a lower risk in the futures betting to an extent. You know they’re going to contend. That’s the given. They’re a safer bet here in 2021, just as they were in 2019 and 2020 (minus the injuries) to at least rise above the over/under.

But even with an old yet strong free agent class, there are a few things about the Niners you need to concern yourself with before placing the bet.

Let’s talk about one enormous obstacle the 49ers will face in 2021. And it may just land them back in the NFC West’s basement for a second straight season.

The San Francisco 49ers and the Wild West

Unfortunately, the 49ers play in the NFL’s toughest division. And as safe of a bet as they may look on paper with all their talent and recent free agent signings, it’s hard to bet on any team in the NFC West.

They face the tall task of playing the Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals, and Seattle Seahawks twice in 2021.

And we know what the Seahawks can do, considering quarterback Russell Wilson continues to cook his special entrees in Seattle. News states that the Chicago Bears actively pursued Wilson and failed. It shows that he’s likely to remain a Seahawk, barring anything unforeseen.

Let’s go to the Valley of the Sun for a second and talk about the phoenix rising in the desert that is the Arizona Cardinals. After a stellar start to free agency themselves that brought in JJ Watt and Rodney Hudson via trade, the Red Birds also figure to be another obstacle for the Niners.

Last season, the Niners and Cardinals became an odd couple when the former was forced to play a few home games at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. Now, it looks like the Cards are poised to take back their home from San Fran and look good doing so.

Then, there are the Los Angeles Rams, who pulled off the blockbuster trade for Matthew Stafford. They also brought back their breakout player, Leonard Floyd, from a season ago. The Rams figure to remain the 49ers’ biggest threats, considering their deep playoff run in 2020.

The NFC West comprises four almost equally talented football teams. And regardless, if you bet on the 49ers or someone else, odds are, you’re taking a risk. And given its talent, it may motivate you to steer clear of even attempting to place a bet here.

However, after finishing last in the West in 2020, it also gives the 49ers an advantage over its sisters in the West—an easier schedule (at least on paper). Let’s talk about it.

The San Francisco 49ers’ Common Opponents

The 49ers finished last in the NFC West, which gives them the luxury of facing the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams finished a combined 8-23-1 in 2020, and neither figure to match the 49ers with talent.

If the NFL adds a 17^th game, that game will come from a team that finished last in either the AFC North, East, or West. So, they’re looking at either the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, or Denver Broncos.

Plus, the 49ers and the rest of the division get to play the AFC South. Here, you’ll find an abysmal defense in Nashville, a dysfunctional franchise in Houston, and a rebuilding team in Jacksonville.

They also play the NFC North. That’s where the Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings, and Detroit Lions all finished with losing records. The Bears were actually 8-8, but after losing in the Wildcard Playoffs, they went 8-9.

Count the 8-8 Arizona Cardinals, and the 49ers play 10 teams who won eight or fewer games in 2020, giving them one of the league’s easiest schedules. Plus, the easy schedule gives them an advantage over their division rivals.

Plus, with a 17^th game, their sisters will also face teams that finished 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd in one of the respective AFC divisions. And for the 49ers, their strength of schedule can go a long way toward determining their futures outlook.

Conclusion

The 49ers are going for it all. Their defense remains at a championship level and they have a phenomenal group of free agents coming in, even if they’re older than the league average.

The problem remains with their status in the NFC West. The entire division remains up for grabs, and there isn’t a weak team out there. It’s truly the wildest division in football and it means the 49ers, despite their talent, pose as a high-risk bet.

However, they have an easier schedule than their sisters in the West overall. With that said, they may pose as the lowest risk in the West.

What are your thoughts on the San Francisco 49ers? Will you take the risk and place a futures bet on them to win the NFC West and make a playoff run? Or do you like someone else? Share it with us here.