2018 NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 has finally arrived
By Dan Parzych
23. San Francisco 49ers (20)
Despite losing each of their final three preseason games, the San Francisco 49ers are still considered one of those teams expected to make the leap in the NFC to contenders when seeing how effective they were at the end of last season. Once Jimmy Garoppolo took over the starting role under center in 2017, the culture surrounding the 49ers completely changed, and the quarterback deserves plenty of credit in the world for helping it happen.
As a result, Garoppolo received quite the hefty contract in the offseason, which plenty of football fans criticized since it was a lot of money for someone that only played five games with the team. But as long as Garoppolo puts in the necessary work to help the 49ers, this is all that really matters the most.
Luckily for Garoppolo, San Francisco has done everything in their power to improve on both sides of the football this offseason to help take some of the pressure off Garoppolo. Take a look at Richard Sherman on the defensive side of the football, as the 49ers believe he can return to his old ways before that devastating Achilles injury ended his 2017 season earlier than expected before his eventual release from the Seattle Seahawks.