The San Francisco 49ers' hot start to the 2019 season has made those in the national media take notice. Of course, some still question the collective strength of the team's opponents so far, which makes them question the team itself.
Still, the 49ers sit at 3-0 after their latest victory, a 24-20 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
While power rankings don't typically mean a whole lot, they can be entertaining and give fans a good indication of how their favorite teams are perceived nationally. The 49ers have seen a significant jump since the start of the season, and the climb up several rankings continues.
San Francisco is entering its bye week and won't play another game until Monday, October 7 when it hosts the Cleveland Browns at Levi's Stadium.
The 49ers lost starting cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to a foot sprain on Sunday but could get a boost with the return of several other players. Head coach Kyle Shanahan remains hopeful that running back Tevin Coleman (ankle), and wide receivers Jalen Hurd (back) and Trent Taylor (foot) could return for the game against the Browns.
Below is a small sample of some of the more prominent power rankings around the web and where San Francisco stands within each.
H/t to Patrick Tulini for letting me know the power rankings were up.
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 7
Previous rank: 11
"Do you believe in this team? So far, so good, even if they haven't exactly faced a big-time schedule. But you are what your record says you are, right?" — Pete Prisco
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 7
Previous rank: 13
"Sunday's win was a minor miracle; not many teams finish a game with five turnovers -- including three inside the opponent's 20-yard line -- and come out clean on the other side. Consider it a testament to the team's resolve, and the continued progress of Jimmy Garoppolo, who wiped away two Steelers second-half leads with touchdown drives." — Dan Hanzus
Pro Football Focus
Current Ranking: 11
Previous rank: 16
"After a 3-0 start, the 49ers have risen steadily in the PFF ELO rankings from 23rd to 11th. Jimmy Garoppolo has been good, not great (14th-ranked passing grade, 72.6). He has benefited greatly from Kyle Shanahan's generous usage of play-action passing (11.0 yards per attempt with, 6.6 without). The team's improvement has been largely driven by its defense, which has risen from the league's worst overall grade in 2018 all the way to third in 2019." — Kevin Cole and Timo Riske
Interestingly, the 49ers saw a slight drop in USA Today's power rankings.
USA Today
Current Ranking: 10
Previous rank: 9
"Yes, they were lucky to survive five turnovers Sunday. But aside from Patriots, Niners only team with a top-five offense and defense so far." — Nate Davis
And then there was no movement from the group over at The MMQB.
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 11
Previous rank: 11
"Third straight AFC North opponent coming up after the break. Hard to judge where this unbeaten team fits into the NFC picture until it starts facing serious conference opposition." — The MMQB Staff
