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Since the last time the 49ers played a meaningful game, the organization has handed out massive extensions to stars Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Fred Warner, slashed payroll and cut veterans including Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, and Leonard Floyd, and even adjusted the contract of veteran wide receiver Jauan Jennings.
The financial legwork started back in January and continued right up through Wednesday night, when Jennings agreed to a reworked deal that offers incentives to provide immediate production for a 49ers’ offense that should be the strength of the team this season.
What should fans expect from a team that will blend established stars with a huge rookie class this season? The Standard’s Tim Kawakami and David Lombardi are back with their Fast 5 predictions ahead of the 49ers’ Week 1 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.
Offensive star of the game
Kawakami: George Kittle. I’m expecting a low-scoring, field-position contest, with the game decided by whoever can avoid turnovers and punch in a late touchdown instead of settling for a field goal. I’ll pick Kittle, who has some good history in Seattle and should find a few openings if the 49ers can get their play-action game going.
Lombardi: Brock Purdy. A low-scoring game might be a good sign in the bigger picture for the 49ers defense, which was bad last year and is young this season. They will undoubtedly suffer through growing pains on that side of the ball, and I believe that will force the 49ers offense to deliver some fireworks. Enter the freshly paid franchise QB.
Defensive star of the game
Kawakami: Deommodore Lenoir. The best way for Lenoir to boost his reputation would be to start logging higher interception totals (two last season, six in his career). Sam Darnold has been known to throw a pick or two and the 49ers probably will need some turnovers to establish control of this game.
Lombardi: Nick Bosa. He went down with an oblique injury during the third quarter of the 49ers’ most recent game against Seattle, a November 2024 loss. Before Bosa got hurt, he was dominating the game and the 49ers led. After Bosa exited, the 49ers couldn’t stop the Seahawks and they blew their lead. Bosa has always produced against Seattle left tackle Charles Cross.
The 49ers’ potential X-factor
Kawakami: Jake Moody. I promise not to pick Moody every week here. But he’s obviously the 49ers’ overall 2025 X-factor, so I might as well lead off with the kicker just as likely to hit two 55-yarders as he is to whiff an extra point. Would Kyle Shanahan really feel good about sending Moody out for a 44-yarder with the game on the line? Maybe we’ll find out.
Lombardi: Christian McCaffrey. We realize there’s some uncertainty about the running back’s status after the 49ers listed him on the injury report as a limited participant in Thursday’s practice with a calf issue. But until there’s a more dire update (Shanahan will speak early Friday afternoon), we’ll continue to assume that McCaffrey’s versatility will be key if the 49ers are to properly push Seattle’s surging defense.
The key stat to track
Kawakami: 49ers getting to 30 non-QB rushing attempts or more. It’s one of Shanahan’s favorite stats and there’s good reason for it. When the 49ers can run it 30 times or more, they usually have the game at the tempo they want and they’re usually putting the kind of physical pressure on the opponent that they really want. Seattle will be trying to run it a ton, too, for the exact same reasons. So it’ll be a contest over which team can run it well and keep running it.
Lombardi: Seattle’s yards per carry. The 49ers finished 2024 as the NFL’s 29th-ranked run defense by expected points added (EPA). Their most recent game, last season’s finale at Arizona, was the culmination of a stunning fall from grace in the run defense department. Seattle’s offense, led by former Shanahan lieutenant Klint Kubiak, will aim to keep exploiting that weakness. How the 49ers respond will be telling not only for Sunday’s result, but also for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s larger 2025 retooling project.
Game prediction
Kawakami: 49ers 20, Seahawks 17. Brock Purdy probably can’t win this himself — the 49ers’ young defense will have to hold up against the Seattle running game and the special teams can’t mess up. This will be tense until the end. But Purdy is 3-0 at Lumen Field in his career and has shown that he can avoid the kinds of mistakes that have haunted previous 49ers QBs — and all QBs, really — in Seattle.
Lombardi: Seahawks 27, 49ers 24. The 49ers should see an inordinate amount of in-season growth in 2025. The defense that takes the field in Seattle on Sunday will not be the same defense that rounds into December form. Perhaps it’s fitting that the regular season starts and ends with games against the Seattle: The Seahawks will visit Levi’s Stadium in Week 18. I think the 49ers will win that game, but they’re still a little too green on the defensive side to grab this one.
