49ers vs Bears Expert Picks & Predictions for Week 1 NFL Game

The 2022 NFL season is finally here and the Week 1 schedule is chock full of exciting showdowns. Two teams with a young developmental quarterback leading the way meet head-to-head in Week 1 as the Chicago Bears host the San Francisco 49ers. This game features a clear favorite, though.

The upside of quarterback Trey Lance combined with the presence of All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel make the 49ers a trendy Super Bowl pick this fall. Meanwhile, the Bears are simply looking to improve after moving on from head coach Matt Nagy and hiring Matt Eberflus this past offseason.

Should the 49ers really be favored by almost an entire touchdown on the road? Do the Bears have any chance at shocking the world with an early season upset? Here's what projection models and experts across the industry have to say about the 49ers vs Bears Week 1 matchup.

49ers vs Bears Projections

ESPN FPI: 49ers (65.9%)
numberFire: 49ers (66.8%)
FiveThirtyEight: 49ers (63%)
Betting Favorite: 49ers (-6.5)

Projected Winner: 49ers (4)

49ers vs Bears Expert Picks

ESPN Experts: 49ers (7), Bears (1)
Sports Illustrated Experts: 49ers (5)
CBS Sports Experts: 49ers (8)

Expert Totals: 49ers (20), Bears (1)

There's no denying that the Bears' chances of winning in Week 1 are slim. Only one expert dared to choose Chicago, which lines up with what the betting markets are saying.

The projection models are in the same boat, too. None of them give the Bears more than a 37% chance of emerging victorious against the 49ers.

Fans should be prepared to see either a blowout win or a huge upset in this matchup on Sunday.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. 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.