The San Francisco 49ers return from their bye week looking to build momentum as they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. They enter the matchup on the heels of a hard-fought 30-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, which evened their record at 4-4.
Despite the win, the 49ers are in third place in the NFC West, trailing the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams. With the second half of the season underway, San Francisco is aiming to climb the standings and secure a playoff spot.
San Francisco's offense may receive a significant boost this week with the potential return of star running back Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers opened McCaffrey's practice window on Monday, which could pave the way for his activation off injured reserve after missing time with Achilles tendinitis.
Additionally, wide receiver Jauan Jennings, who has been sidelined for the last two games with a hip injury, rejoined practice, providing quarterback Brock Purdy with another valuable pass-catching threat.
What does the national media think about the 49ers compared to the rest of the league? Below is a sample of some of the most prominent power rankings from around the web, showing where San Francisco currently stands in each. As always, the highest rankings are listed first.
Current Ranking: 7
Previous Ranking: 8
"Last week it seemed like the 49ers had finally found something sustainable in the passing game by getting back to things that have always worked in their offensive ecosystem. And with Christian McCaffrey's return on the horizon, San Francisco can put the woes of the first two months behind it and get back to competing for the crown in the NFC." — Diante Lee
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 10
Previous Ranking: 11
"The 49ers have needed a steady presence this season because of significant injuries to Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk and the intermittent availability of Deebo Samuel and Ricky Pearsall, and the 31-year-old Kittle has risen to the occasion. Kittle already has matched last year's touchdown total, and one more score will give him seven, the second most in a season of his career. His 71.9 receiving yards per game are the most by a tight end this season, and his most since 2020, and his air yards per target (8.39) are the second most of his career." — Josh Kendall
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 10
Previous Ranking: 9
"We shipped the Giants and Panthers to Germany this coming weekend for a truly horrid international game. In return, the Germans sent us back Christian McCaffrey. Talk about a trade deficit! HEYOOOOOO." — Conor Orr
Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 11
Previous Ranking: 11
"Assuming Christian McCaffrey comes back this year, the 49ers can feel like their season really starts now. It's not too late for them to win the NFC West and be the most dangerous team in the conference by January. They have to get some more injury luck." — Frank Schwab
The 33rd Team
Current Ranking: 12
Previous Ranking: 12
"The San Francisco 49ers were on bye in Week 9 but lost ground in the NFC West since the Cardinals and Rams won. The good news is that everyone in the division is bunched together, and despite four losses, the 49ers have a great chance to take the lead by the end of the month. Can they get healthy for the postseason? That remains to be seen, but the 49ers remain one of the most dangerous teams in the league going into Week 10." — Marcus Mosher
Current Ranking: 12
Previous Ranking: 11
"Injuries have been the story of the 2024 season for the San Francisco 49ers. Running back Christian McCaffrey has yet to play this season. Top wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been lost for the season. General manager John Lynch told reporters that the team plans to activate to activate McCaffrey's practice window in the hopes that he might be able to return to action in Week 10." — Gary Davenport
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 12
Previous Ranking: 12
"With Christian McCaffrey returning, there's still time for the 49ers to make a run." — Mike Florio
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 12
Previous Ranking: 11
"The 49ers need to get a whole lot healthier during the bye, with Christian McCaffrey's potential return vs. the Buccaneers in Week 10 being most key. They are capable of sizzling through the second half to still push for the top NFC seed." — Vinnie Iyer
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 13
Previous Ranking: 12
"They come off their bye with a long trip to face the Bucs in Tampa. The time off had to be good for this banged-up team." — Pete Prisco
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 13
Previous Ranking: 14
"We're into November, which is traditionally when Kyle Shanahan's teams make their move. True, past 49ers clubs have been a little more successful on the whole than this one, which started 3-4, but the expected return of Christian McCaffrey lifts their profile, even with the resurgent Rams and Cardinals giving the Niners some serious competition in the NFC West. They can do what they normally do this time of year with incremental improvements on special teams and defense, along with the expected bump with CMC back in the offensive backfield. This stretch run also will loom large for Brock Purdy, who has been hot and cold in the first half of the season. It says here that Purdy will finish strong in the back stretch, and that will be partly contractually motivated, as he will be eligible to sign a potentially massive deal this offseason. I think his play will warrant one in a few months." — Eric Edholm
Current Ranking: 14
Preseason Ranking: 12
"Most important game remaining: Week 10 at the Buccaneers. The Bucs game isn't only important because it's next on the Niners' schedule but because of what that game could tell us about where this season is headed. The 49ers have made a habit of kicking into gear post-bye under coach Kyle Shanahan. Since Shanahan took over in 2017, the Niners are 43-18 after their bye week. San Francisco is also expecting to get running back Christian McCaffrey back from Achilles tendinitis. How he looks and how the 49ers fare on a long trip should offer strong clues on whether another finishing flourish is on the way or if this team is as middling as its first-half record would indicate." — Nick Wagoner
USA Today
Current Ranking: 16
Previous Ranking: 16
"The next four weeks include road trips to Tampa, Green Bay and Buffalo. Pretty ideal time to get RB Christian McCaffrey back, assuming he can do something most of the offense hasn't managed to do – hold up physically." — Nate Davis
