ESPN’s Benjamin Solak ranked the San Francisco 49ers 20th on his 2026 NFL watchability list, putting them below the Colts and only one spot ahead of the Panthers. That feels wild for a team that literally won in 2025, even if they weren’t exactly a “sight for sore eyes” back then. It was even worse in 2024. For a franchise that had one of the most aesthetically pleasing offenses in the entire league just a few years ago in 2023, this low ranking for our rivals feels like a slap in the face for Niner fans, and a bizarre prediction for the season.
Shanahan’s Offensive Puzzle
Kyle Shanahan is clearly hoping Brock Purdy can recapture some of that 2023 magic this season. From the sound of it, Purdy’s getting his best supporting cast since then, with a legitimate WR1 and a pair of wide receivers who absolutely thrive in contested situations. Add in the depth in the backfield with Kaelon Black and Jordan James, who should be sneaky good contributors and even make Christian McCaffrey better, and this offense should be special, especially if they can find a left guard who can actually hold his own. Benjamin Solak himself even believes in Shanahan’s offense, despite McCaffrey hitting 30 and George Kittle returning from a right Achilles tear. He highlighted how “hilariously fun” those early-season Mac Jones games in 2025 were, proving a quarterback injury can’t slow Shanahan down. So, with all that offensive firepower, what gives with the low watchability ranking?
Defense, Wildcards, and NFC West Sparks
The answer, my friends, seems to lie squarely with their defense. Last season, the 49ers played in a league-low six one-score games, thanks to a “porous defense” that was bottom 10 in most metrics. It’s funny, though, because bad defense plus good offense can actually create surprisingly watchable games. Remember their Week 16 primetime game against the Colts in December? It was Philip Rivers’ only watchable game after coming out of retirement at 44 years old, and that was purely because the 49ers’ defense made it shaky enough to be entertaining. Heading into 2026, they should be healthier on both sides of the ball, but the defense is still a total wildcard. The front four is apparently the deepest it’s been in a while, with Osa Odighizuwa being a move Solak somehow missed, plus role players like Sam Okuayinonu and Keion White. August already taught us the 49ers will not be boring, but will they be “a boring version of pleasantly good,” as Solak mused?
We, the 12s, know one thing for sure: 25% of the 49ers’ games are against NFC West rivals, including our Seattle Seahawks. And those contests? They always deliver. You can rank ’em 20th all you want, Solak, but when our boys line up against those guys, it’s always appointment viewing. Get ready for some fireworks, because no matter what the analytics say, those rivalry games are going to be must-see TV.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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