The national media is buying in on the 49ers, and after two weeks it is hard to argue with the results.
San Francisco opened the season by rolling over the Rams, then followed that up with a 35-13 dismantling of the Dolphins. The offense looked different in each game - pounding Los Angeles on the ground, then attacking Miami through the air - but the end result was the same.
The 49ers put points on the board, and once that happens, opponents are forced to chase. They have not been able to do that by running the ball.
Even with the injuries already stacking up, the Niners are getting the kind of respect that usually follows a team that looks built to win right now. Here’s how several national outlets see them heading into Week 3:
The Athletic has San Francisco at No. 1.
Chad Graff and Josh Kendall kept the 49ers atop their rankings after another convincing win, and they singled out rookie running back Kaelon Black in their spotlight. Black, the Indiana product, has more carries and nearly as many rushing yards - 90 - as Christian McCaffrey, who has 91, through two weeks. That’s a strong start for a third-round pick who never got an invite to the NFL combine, and it offers some comfort after promising rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling was lost for 10 weeks with an ankle sprain.
USA Today has the 49ers at No. 3.
Nate Davis pointed to a rare achievement for McCaffrey, noting that only three NFL players in history have scored 50 touchdowns with two different franchises: Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Randy Moss, and now McCaffrey. “End of list. Impressive.”
Yahoo Sports also has San Francisco at No. 3.
Frank Schwab wrote that the 49ers got favorable circumstances to begin the year, first drawing the Rams in Australia after Los Angeles arrived the day before the game, then facing a Dolphins roster he called the worst in the NFL. Still, he noted that blowing out both teams is nothing to shrug off.
The 49ers own a +42 point differential, have had only two negative plays all season, and have allowed just one touchdown to the Rams and another to Miami in the closing minutes with San Francisco already ahead by 29. Brock Purdy, Schwab wrote, has kept the offense moving despite injuries at receiver.
Purdy himself was quoted after the win: “Obviously, the scoreboard’s been great the last two weeks, but there are so many things we can always get better at and our standard is going to continue to rise. That’s really what we’re focused on.”
Nick Shook also had high praise for the quarterback, writing that Purdy is “dealing” and that defenses have not been able to stop the 26-year-old through the first two weeks. He described Purdy as being at the peak of his powers and said the 49ers are quietly “dunking on the doubters.”
ESPN placed San Francisco at No. 3 as well.
Nick Wagoner wrote that Brock Purdy looks poised for his best season. He noted that Purdy has been one of the league’s most productive quarterbacks since taking over the starting job in 2022, and said the fifth-year QB is fully comfortable in Kyle Shanahan’s offense after his best training camp.
Wagoner added that linebacker Fred Warner has even wondered aloud whether Purdy can enter the MVP conversation. Through two weeks, Purdy leads the league in QBR at 94.9 despite a supporting cast already hit by injuries.
Vinnie Iyer also slotted the 49ers at No. 3, calling them a balanced offensive machine again under Shanahan, with the usual big plays from Purdy and McCaffrey. He also praised how swarming the defense has been under Raheem Morris.
CBS Sports ranked San Francisco No. 3, with Pete Prisco saying the stars keep showing up for this team, which is why it will be a serious playoff contender. He added that with those players on the field and Shanahan coaching, the 49ers will be tough to beat.
Sports Illustrated had the 49ers at No. 4.
Connor Orr moved San Francisco up from No. 6 after the win over Miami, writing that the clinical dismantling of the Rams in Australia and the Dolphins at home was enough to earn Kyle Shanahan & Co. a major boost. He also noted that Shanahan has pointed out something that makes the 49ers’ run even more striking: nearly every team in the league runs his offense, which means every defense practices against it every day. Orr said the fact that San Francisco is still an elite team is more amazing than people realize.
In Other News...
49ers Give Brock Purdy A Veteran Help Question They Need Answered Fast
Brock Purdy has made a habit of thriving in the gray areas of the 49ers offense, the way Steph Curry can bend a defense without ever needing to force the issue. Purdy runs the system the way it is drawn up, but he also has the feel to extend plays and create something when the structure breaks down, which is part of why San Francisco keeps leaning into his strengths while trying to smooth out the rough spots around him.
One of those spots is the receiving room, and the 49ers have added veteran Brandin Cooks to help deepen the group. It is the kind of move that fits a team trying to stay competitive on multiple fronts, especially with concerns still lingering about the run defense and the protection up front, two areas that have made the margin for error feel thinner than usual. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Have More Riding On Sunday Than Just A 3-0 Start
A fast start has a way of changing the math in September, and Sunday gives the 49ers a chance to put themselves in a far better neighborhood than the one occupied by teams trying to recover from a stumble. Over the past decade, clubs that opened 3-0 have generally carried a stronger playoff track record than teams sitting at 2-1 or 1-2, and that is part of what makes this game feel bigger than an early-season checkpoint for San Francisco.
The same trend also puts a spotlight on the rest of the NFC West, with the Seahawks in a similar position to benefit from a clean start. For the 49ers, the point is not just getting to 3-0 for the sake of an unblemished record, but banking the kind of early edge that has historically improved both playoff odds and the chance to stay in the hunt deep into the season. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Suddenly Linked To A High-Upside WR Gamble
Marvin Harrison Jr. has been one of the leagues more intriguing early-career cases, a former blue-chip receiver prospect who hasnt yet matched the expectations attached to him in Arizona. Through his first three NFL seasons, and with a rough opening to the 2026 campaign, the questions around his fit and production have only grown louder, which naturally tends to fuel trade chatter around a player with his pedigree.
For the 49ers, the speculation makes at least a little sense. Their wide receiver room is getting older, and San Francisco has been signaling for some time that it needs more youthful talent at the position. A player like Harrison would represent the kind of high-upside gamble teams in that situation at least have to consider, even if the path from rumor to reality still feels very much unsettled. [Read more 🡒]