It’s clear going into 2024 that the 49ers, on paper will be a favorite to repeat as NFC champions. There are intangible elements of overcoming a Super Bowl defeat that make returning to the NFL’s championship game a nearly impossible task, but still ESPN has San Francisco as the favorites to not only win the NFC, but to win the whole dang thing.
Seth Walder wrote a piece analyzing how ESPN’s Football Power Index has the 2024 campaign shaking out and the 49ers land atop that FPI list.
They’re given a 16 percent chance to win the Super Bowl, which is four points higher than second place Kansas City and six points higher than No. 3 Detroit.
A 49ers-Chiefs rematch has the highest likelihood of happening at six percent, while a 49ers-Ravens showdown lands at a four percent likelihood, tied with Chiefs matchups against the Lions, Eagles and Cowboys.
Part of the issue with getting back to a Super Bowl after losing it is that rosters can dramatically change after a deep playoff run. The 49ers will have an advantage in that their starting offense is still intact and they kept all of their key players on defense.
San Francisco will be looking to become the second team since the turn of the century to make it back to the Super Bowl one year after losing, and only the fourth team ever to win a year after losing. The road won’t be easy, but all early signs point toward the 49ers being made up of the necessary elements to make such a rare run to a championship.