NFC West Division Winners: Are the 49ers the Runaway Favorite?

Now more than ever, the fantasy and betting landscapes are providing a year-round experience for fans, especially when it comes to the NFL. With the advent of best ball and growth of dynasty leagues – plus the explosion of legal sports betting options – casual fantasy players and bettors are no longer waiting until the late summer to catch up and get involved.

Still, summer brings with it an enhanced focus on NFL content. Talk shows, podcasts and Twitter timelines are zeroing in on the upcoming season, fantasy drafts and competitions are ubiquitous, and sportsbooks are taking bets on futures like division, conference and Super Bowl champions.

Over the summer, I’ll attempt to satisfy your craving for NFL content by previewing every division. I’ll cover key division storylines, provide a breakdown for each team and give out my pick to win each division.

NFC West Preview

Last season, the San Francisco 49ers ran away with the NFC West, finishing 13-4 including a 10-game winning streak to close out the regular season. The Seattle Seahawks surprised at 9-8 and were second in the division in their first season with Geno Smith under center replacing Russell Wilson. In third place were the Los Angeles Rams, whose season fell apart due to a string of injuries. The 2021 Super Bowl champs limped through a miserable season to a 5-12 record. Lastly, the Arizona Cardinals battled turmoil all season and never overcame it, garnering a 4-13 record and fourth place finish in the NFC West.

Entering 2023, oddsmakers project that the 49ers (-165) will capture their second consecutive NFC West title despite a lack of clarity at the quarterback position as the summer heats up. They’re followed by their division foes in the exact same order that they finished last season, with the Seahawks (+200) projected to finish second, the Rams (+1000) third and the Cardinals (+2400) last. Can anyone dethrone the 49ers? Or will San Francisco cruise to another division title regardless of who plays quarterback?

San Francisco 49ers

(FanDuel Sportsbook division title odds: -165)

After falling short in the NFC Championship last season, the 49ers will again lean on a great defense and perhaps the league’s best supporting cast on offense. The quarterback situation is murky with Brock Purdy recovering from elbow surgery, Trey Lance’s status undetermined and Sam Darnold – a more than capable backup – also on the roster, but having Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey should lighten the load for whoever is starting Week 1. San Francisco did lose defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans in the offseason, so it’ll be up to Steve Wilks to take the talented defense he’s inherited and repeat last year’s performance.

As a clear division favorite and the second favorite to win the NFC, the 49ers’ sights are set on the Super Bowl. When they were forced to turn to Brock Purdy last season, plenty of people thought they were finished, but the legend of Kyle Shanahan’s offensive greatness proved to be true as the last pick in the draft seamlessly stepped in at QB and ripped off six consecutive wins to close the regular season. Because of the defense’s reliability and the offensive scheme and supporting cast, the Niners’ floor is probably a Wild Card berth, but I’d be surprised if they didn’t win another NFC West title and compete for a Super Bowl.

Seattle Seahawks

(FanDuel odds: +200)

Many wrote off Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks heading into last season, but the journeyman QB made his first Pro Bowl, and the Seahawks made the postseason in their first year without Russell Wilson, who could’ve only wished to have played as well as Smith. Still, there was never a realistic chance for Seattle to contend for a Super Bowl with Smith at the helm and a porous defense all around. The biggest moves they made this offseason were drafting running back Zach Charbonnet, signing Dre’Mont Jones and adding back former captain Bobby Wagner.

Will that be enough to push them ahead of the 49ers? Probably not. Seattle is likely still stuck in football purgatory where they can’t truly contend for a Super Bowl, but they aren’t bad enough to justify tanking or benefit from it. The ceiling for this team may very well be an NFC West title if things break correctly, but it isn’t anything more than that, and the floor feels like it’s just a game or two below .500.

Los Angeles Rams

(FanDuel odds: +1000)

Just a year removed from a Super Bowl, the wheels fell off for the Rams as they sputtered and finished 5-12. Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp both missed significant time with injury, the offensive line couldn’t pass-protect, and the secondary fell off compared to years prior. Now, with the cap closing in on them, the Rams are selling their parts. Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd, Bobby Wagner and Nick Scott are all gone from the defensive side, but Stafford and Kupp should be healthy to start the season, and nobody forgets how lethal that combination was just two seasons ago.

The Rams figure to be thin on defense, but they still have Aaron Donald. The offensive line projects to be one of the league’s worst, but they still have Stafford and Kupp (and a seemingly revitalized Cam Akers). On the surface, it looks rough for the 2021 champs, but there are still enough pieces that might make them a bit sneaky. If everyone can stay healthy, it’s possible that LA battles for a playoff spot, but almost any injury or adversity could make this season a repeat of 2022.

Arizona Cardinals

(FanDuel odds: +2400)

The Cardinals have the worst odds of any team in the NFL to win their respective division at +2400. I’m not sold on them being the worst team in the entire league, but this certainly is one of the least talented rosters through and through. Colt McCoy will begin the season under center with James Conner, Rondale Moore and Marquise Brown – a few solid weapons – at his disposal. Missing from that list is DeAndre Hopkins, who Arizona released earlier in the summer. Cornerback Byron Murphy, who shined early in the season, is also gone as he signed with the Vikings this offseason, leaving the Arizona secondary in even worse shape than it was in last season.

The Cardinals’ floor truly is the worst team in the NFL, but if Kyler Murray gets healthy and returns quickly, the offense has a chance to be pretty solid which could propel this team to somewhere close to .500. The playoffs look super unlikely but not quite impossible in an NFC that is wide open after the first couple teams at the top.

The Pick: San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are clearly the most well-rounded team in the NFC West. It’s reasonable to think the defense takes a step back, but it should still be very good, and the offensive firepower is simply incredible regardless of who is playing quarterback. Nobody will be stopping San Francisco in this division.

Wild Card: Los Angeles Rams

The Rams finished third in the division in 2022 and everything broke the wrong way. Heading into 2023, they have certainly lost some of their star power, especially on defense, but Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp are so dominant when healthy that they – and Sean Mcvay – can make some noise in a weak division and conference. It’s tough to back +1000 to win the NFC West, but +350 to make the playoffs is enticing.