The Jacksonville Jaguars will host the 49ers on Sunday in an eagerly anticipated showdown. It's a tough challenge for the struggling Bay Area team, but one it must overcome. Falling to 5-4 on the season would be a disaster for the one-time Super Bowl favorites.
San Francisco hopes to maintain its lead—albeit a minuscule one—in the NFC West standings. They can thank the Baltimore Ravens for that lead, as they defeated the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, dropping the division rival's record to 5-3.
The 49ers hope to get wide receiver Deebo Samuel (shoulder) and tackle Trent Williams (ankle) back from injuries. Neither has played in the last two games. Running back Christian McCaffrey will be another week further removed from the slight oblique tear suffered on October 15.
What does the national media think about the Niners' roster compared to the rest of the league? Below is a sample of some of the more prominent power rankings around the web and where San Francisco currently stands within each. As always, the highest rankings are listed first.
Sports Illustrated
Current Ranking: 3
Previous Rank: 3
"The 49ers emerge from a bye and a trade deadline that saw them add Chase Young as a rotational pass rusher. Hopefully the time away allowed them to get healthy and to self scout adequately. Kyle Shanahan is not going to tolerate any modicum of mediocrity; not when we've seen how astronomical the ceiling is for this roster. The Jaguars are up next on Sunday—a perfect test and a very real chance for the once indestructible 49ers to slump to 5-4." — Conor Orr
USA Today
Current Ranking: 4
Previous Rank: 5
"They just had the best off week in recent memory, acquiring DE Chase Young for a pittance, getting needed rest for injured LT Trent Williams and WR Deebo Samuel, and moving back into a first-place tie atop the NFC West following Seattle's blowout loss." — Nate Davis
The Ringer
Current Ranking: 5
Previous Rank: 5
"Given how dominant their first five weeks were, I don't think anyone could have predicted a three-game losing streak for the 49ers. Having said that, I think some of the angst is misguided. Quarterback Brock Purdy had untimely turnovers in their loss to the Bengals, but he also threw for 365 yards and ran for 57. I think the offense will be fine, especially once they get star left tackle Trent Williams and receiver Deebo Samuel back from injury. The defense? Now that's another story. The Vikings and Bengals have gone up and down the field with ease against San Francisco the past two weeks. It's a long season, but the 49ers need to get their defensive issues solved coming out of the bye in Week 9." — Austin Gayle
Pro Football Talk
Current Ranking: 5
Previous Rank: 6
"That losing streak needs to end this weekend." — Mike Florio
Yahoo! Sports
Current Ranking: 5
Previous Rank: 7
"What we've seen during the 49ers' swoon is how valuable Deebo Samuel is. With Samuel out, the offense hasn't looked the same. The 49ers are deep on offense but Samuel has skills that can't be replaced. It looks like Samuel should return this week, and the 49ers' dominant offense should return too." — Frank Schwab
The Athletic
Current Ranking: 6
Previous Rank: 6
"Report card: B-minus. A month ago, this was a solid A, but the 49ers have lost three straight games. They averaged 33.4 points in their first five games and started 5-0. They have scored 17 points in each of the last three weeks and lost all three of them. Quarterback Brock Purdy is shouldering a lot of the blame, but the running game might be the real culprit. From Week 6 through Week 9, San Francisco was 17th in the league in rushing (95.3 ypg). Before that, it was third (156.4 ypg)." — Josh Kendall
NFL.com
Current Ranking: 7
Previous Rank: 8
"The Week 9 bye provided a soft landing after a three-game losing streak, and it also helped give me some perspective on this team. The sky isn't falling, I suspect. Even taking into account all the issues that cropped up over the past month, there is still a path for the 49ers to get to the Super Bowl. Brock Purdy was playing at an MVP level before his three-game struggles, and with the eventual returns of Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams (who each missed the past two contests), Purdy can return to that level. The defense, which has struggled to pressure or cover consistently of late, also has help arriving in the form of trade acquisition Chase Young. The schedule remains thorny, but six of the Niners' remaining nine games come against teams currently below them on this list." — Eric Edholm
ESPN
Current Ranking: 8
Previous Rank: 7
"Non-QB MVP: RB Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey staked an early spot in the league MVP race, but an oblique injury in Week 6 has slowed that momentum a bit. Still, McCaffrey ranks in the top three in the league in scrimmage yards per game (118), total touchdowns (13) and rushing yards (652). He also has scored a touchdown in 17 straight games (including playoffs), tying him with Lenny Moore for the longest streak in NFL history." — Nick Wagoner
Sporting News
Current Ranking: 8
Previous Rank: 8
"The 49ers needed to regroup during their bye with the three-game losing streak caused by their pass rush not helping their offense and Brock Purdy making too many mistakes. They will hope Chase Young provides a Christian McCaffrey-like spark." — Vinnie Iyer
CBS Sports
Current Ranking: 9
Previous Rank: 11
"They've lost three straight games and now face a tough trip to Jacksonville to play the Jaguars. Adding Chase Young will certainly help their cause." — Pete Prisco
Touchdown Wire
Current Ranking: 9
Previous Rank: 9
"After losing three straight heading into their bye, they will face a tough Jaguars team this Sunday. If they don't win that, it's 'eyes looking sideways emoji' time." — Jarrett Bailey
Pro Football Network
Current Ranking: 10
Previous Rank: 10
"No team needed a week off more than the 49ers, and no player in the NFL needed to go relax in a combine on the farm more than Brock Purdy. The 49ers quarterback tasted adversity a few weeks ago and hasn't been able to get enough of it since. But the 49ers' issues aren't simply on the offensive side of the ball. During their three-game skid, they rank 28th in defensive EPA. This is likely why they went out and made a deal for Chase Young, who will be a welcome site opposite of Nick Bosa." — Dalton Miller
Bleacher Report
Current Ranking: 10
Previous Rank: 11
"What the what is happening in San Francisco? The 49ers spent several weeks atop these power rankings. The defense was stifling. The offense was rolling, San Francisco looked like the best team in the entire NFL. 'Looked' is the operative word. Beginning with a heartbreaker in Cleveland, the Niners have dropped three in a row, with the last being a loss at home to the Cincinnati Bengals in which the 49ers were outplayed on both sides of the ball. ... The Niners were busy at the trade deadline as well, flipping a third-round pick to the Washington Commanders for edge-rusher Chase Young. Young has struggled with injuries and inconsistency after winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2020, but if he can recapture past form, he and former Ohio State teammate Nick Bosa could be a truly terrifying duo. Add in that wide receiver Deebo Samuel should return after the bye, and it's not hard to imagine the Niners getting back on track in short order." — NFL Staff