Thursday, September 17, 2020

San Francisco 49ers Week 2 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

2020 NFL Power Rankings: San Francisco 49ers

Throughout the 2020 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

Here is where the San Francisco 49ers rank in terms of average, best and worst:

  • Average ranking: 7.8 (T-7th)
  • Best ranking: 6th (Multiple)
  • Worst ranking: 9th (Multiple)

Below you will find a Week 2 roundup for the 49ers in our consensus 2020 NFL Power Rankings.

The Athletic -- Rank: 6

What we learned: Theres only so much Kyle Shanahan can scheme up. When the 49ers are at their best, the offense is a combination of Shanahan giving them an edge with scheme/play-calling and players like Deebo Samuel and George Kittle winning with great individual efforts. But Samuel was out Sunday, and Kittle suffered a knee injury. That meant Jimmy Garoppolos margin for error was smaller than usual. The 49ers put together a 78-yard drive to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but after the Cardinals came back with a touchdown, they failed to respond, with Garoppolo delivering a late, off-target throw on the final offensive play. Garoppolo was also off on an earlier throw when he had Kendrick Bourne open in the end zone. Overall, the 49ers finished 21st in EPA per snap on offense in Week 1.

CBS Sports -- Rank: 9

That was not a good home showing against Arizona in the opener. The Cardinals moved the ball well against that top defense. That has to change. The offense has too many injuries right now.

USA Today -- Rank: 9

One of the big surprises from opening weekend? San Francisco is all alone in NFC West basement … while hoping TE George Kittle gets off the mat.

ESPN -- Rank: 6

Best rookie debut: DT Javon Kinlaw
There really isn't much to choose from here because the only other Niners rookie to play was tight end Charlie Woerner, who played one snap on offense and seven on special teams. Kinlaw didn't make much of an impact, posting one assisted tackle on 39 defensive snaps. He didn't play much on passing downs, so his primary job was to occupy blockers and play the run, but this debut didn't offer any sort of wow factor. -- Nick Wagoner

NFL.com -- Rank: 9

The 49ers need their wide receivers to get healthy. Aside from a breathtaking Raheem Mostert catch-and-run TD (his max speed of 22.73 mph was the highest of any player in the past three seasons, per Next Gen Stats), it was a slog on offense against the Cardinals. Playing without Deebo Samuel or Brandon Aiyuk (a pregame scratch), San Francisco receivers managed four catches for 41 yards on 11 targets. Jimmy Garoppolo's stat sheet didn't match his play, either: In the final two minutes, he undershot an open Kendrick Bourne on what could have been a go-ahead TD, then threw late and behind Trent Taylor on the game-deciding, fourth-down play deep in Arizona territory.

+ Previous update: San Francisco 49ers Week 1 NFL Power Rankings Roundup

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