3 San Francisco 49ers Bold Predictions for Week 1

The San Francisco 49ers will take on the Arizona Cardinals in their 2020 season opener. This matchup produced a pair of great games last year, but 49ers fans will be hoping to see more of the same, as San Francisco emerged unscathed, going 2-0 in those contests.

Here are three bold predictions about this Week 1 matchup.

1. Kenyan Drake Rushes for 125+ Yards, But San Francisco Wins

Kenyan Drake dominated this matchup last year. He averaged 88.5 rushing yards per game while handling 15.5 carries per game. Plus, as good as San Francisco's defense was in 2019, the team was vulnerable against the run, surrendering 4.5 yards per carry (T-No. 22). Drake should have a nice game here, but it still won't be enough to top San Francisco.

2. George Kittle Records 150+ Receiving Yards

In 2019, no team did a worse job against tight ends than the Cardinals. They surrendered 73.3 receiving yards per game to the position – the worst total in the league. Obviously, that's good news for George Kittle. Arizona did attempt to rectify that by drafting the versatile Isaiah Simmons in the NFL Draft, but asking a rookie to cover Kittle is a recipe for disaster. With all the injuries at WR, Kittle should be targeted early and often here.

3. Kyler Murray is Sacked 5+ Times

There's quite a bit of hype surrounding the Cardinals passing game this season. Kyler Murray is expected to take a huge leap forward thanks to the addition of DeAndre Hopkins. That narrative will quiet down in Week 1, however. Nick Bosa and the rest of the 49ers' front should be able to dominate a leaky Cardinals offensive line. SF averaged 3.5 sacks per game against Arizona last season. Plus, Murray could be holding the ball a bit longer than usual as he develops chemistry with his new receiving corps during his first game action since last season.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook today and get your first bet risk free for up to $500!

Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.