Time for a thread after a dominant 4-0 start. DVOA has them with the 6th best 4-game start since 1986. They aren't that good, but they're legitimately good. How good, it's hard to say, because they haven't played anyone above average yet. But they've been blowing out the crappy teams they've played: +70 point differential after four games, and it could be even higher (they dominated Pittsburgh in Week 3, out-gaining them by 200 yards, but the score was close because they fumbled 5 times and had two tipped INTs).
In particular, they have the best defensive front in the league. They have spent a ton of draft capital there (3 top-10 picks) in the last few years and it's starting to pay off. Buckner made the Pro Bowl last year and Bosa looks like a star after only four games. Having also added Dee Ford in the off-season, they now have multiple guys who consistently command double-teams. It's a matchup nightmare for OLs and it has made the rest of the defense, in particular the secondary, look much better than they probably are.
On offense, Kyle Shanahan is one of the best offensive minds in the league. The RB-by-committee has been extremely effective running Shanahan's trademark zone scheme, they are averaging 200 rushing yards/game and 5.2 yards/attempt, even though their best lineman, Joe Staley, is out with a broken leg. Jimmy G has been solid but not spectacular, but he mostly hasn't needed to be (the 49ers have the fewest pass attempts in the league). With Gronk retired, George Kittle is probably the best TE in the league. The WRs are still something of a work in progress, but the effective running game + Shanahan's schemes get them open a lot.
Expectations before the season were to compete for a playoff spot. They are certainly in position to do that, but as they're in a tough division with LA and Seattle both solid, not even that is solidified yet. They have a real test this weekend at LA.
In particular, they have the best defensive front in the league. They have spent a ton of draft capital there (3 top-10 picks) in the last few years and it's starting to pay off. Buckner made the Pro Bowl last year and Bosa looks like a star after only four games. Having also added Dee Ford in the off-season, they now have multiple guys who consistently command double-teams. It's a matchup nightmare for OLs and it has made the rest of the defense, in particular the secondary, look much better than they probably are.
On offense, Kyle Shanahan is one of the best offensive minds in the league. The RB-by-committee has been extremely effective running Shanahan's trademark zone scheme, they are averaging 200 rushing yards/game and 5.2 yards/attempt, even though their best lineman, Joe Staley, is out with a broken leg. Jimmy G has been solid but not spectacular, but he mostly hasn't needed to be (the 49ers have the fewest pass attempts in the league). With Gronk retired, George Kittle is probably the best TE in the league. The WRs are still something of a work in progress, but the effective running game + Shanahan's schemes get them open a lot.
Expectations before the season were to compete for a playoff spot. They are certainly in position to do that, but as they're in a tough division with LA and Seattle both solid, not even that is solidified yet. They have a real test this weekend at LA.
