San Francisco 49ers
NFC West
Overall Team DVOA
19.9% 6th
Most teams that reach the Conference Championship round don't replace their quarterbacks the following year if said quarterback does not retire, but that is exactly the situation in which the 49ers find themselves. After drafting Trey Lance No. 3 overall, San Francisco had him ride the bench for most of the year as Jimmy Garoppolo piloted the team oh so close to another Super Bowl appearance. But the 49ers are moving on in favor of the inexperienced yet talented Lance, and he will have to hit the ground running if the team is to replicate its recent playoff success. Given Lance's lack of in-game reps over the past two seasons dating back to college, uncertainty along an offensive line in flux, and some likely marginal defensive regression, we expect the team to take a bit of a step back in 2022, but letting Lance take his lumps now will likely be best for the team's long-term outlook even if the team ends up missing the playoffs. -- Carl Yedor
DVOA Team Rankings
Through Week 22