The NFL’s season-opening slate is offering up solid matchups for every squad, including an NFC West rivalry when the San Francisco 49ers head north to take on the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.
San Francisco is looking to return to the playoffs this season with a retooled offense. In addition to offensive line moves, the Niners are relying on newcomer Ricky Pearsall and fifth-year veteran Jauan Jennings as their top wide receivers because Brandon Aiyuk is shelved and Deebo Samuel was traded to Washington.
Seattle will feature a new quarterback this season. The Seahawks signed Sam Darnold to a three-year deal this offseason and shipped former starter Geno Smith to the Raiders. Darnold will have veteran Cooper Kupp as his go-to receiver this year, and the pair could become a formidable duo.
Will the Niners or the Seahawks start this season with a win? We’ll cover that and our three favorite player prop bets for Sunday’s matchup.
The $100 million question – literally – is whether Darnold can replicate his performance from last season. The veteran quarterback led the Minnesota Vikings to the playoffs and threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 2024.
Now, he’ll have an inexperienced wide receiver corps to throw to. The Seahawks traded away D.K. Metcalf and released Tyler Lockett, believing that Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jake Bobo, and Tory Horton have bright futures.
Despite the inexperience, bettors should take Darnold to cover this player prop bet. With Kupp and rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo as strong receiving options, the Seahawks will open up their playbook for Darnold on Sunday to become a two-dimensional attack.
The biggest question for San Francisco heading into this contest is whether running back Christian McCaffrey will play. He’s on the injured list, a designation he’s experienced multiple times over the past three seasons.
Should McCaffrey play, the 49ers will use the running back to open up passing opportunities downfield. That bodes well for George Kittle as he’s the most experienced receiving option on the roster.
If McCaffrey doesn’t play, that still makes Kittle a favorite to cover his receiving prop bet. Seattle will definitely target him, but the tight end is elusive enough to create separation against the Seahawks’ linebackers. Take him to cover this prop wager on Sunday afternoon.
Darnold does have backfield help with his new team. The Seahawks have a pair of talented running backs in third-year running back Kenneth Walker III and second-year player Zach Charbonnet.
While Walker is the starter, Charbonnet came on late last year and finished with more carries in December than his teammate. Charbonnet will steal hand-offs from Walker in the season opener, keeping either player from surpassing the 60-yard mark on Sunday.
Seattle is in a transitional period under second-year head coach Mike MacDonald. After going 10-7 in his first season, the Seahawks made significant moves this offseason to introduce fresh, young talent to their roster.
While that might bode well for the future, it’s not a winning recipe for Week 1. San Francisco has won its previous three season openers, posting wins against three different AFC teams during that time period. Take the Niners to make it four straight and win on the road by at least a field goal.