Not even 49ers fans should buy into Kyle Juszczyk's bizarre mentality

To hear Kyle Juszczyk talk, NFL analysts have already sunk the stake into the San Francisco 49ers' season. Cue confused smirks and puzzled looks from Los Angeles Rams fans. Because here's the thing. Not even 49ers fans should bite on this wild take from their starting fullback:

"If people want to forget about us (49ers), that is fantastic. "

49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk

The Rams had a fantastic offseason. The Seattle Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champions. Taking a back seat to these teams is no insult.

The only problem with the fullback's take? Nobody has forgotten about the 49ers. How about their win projections? Surely some analysts are thumbs-down on San Fran, right? Well, Fox Sports projects the 49ers to win 10.5 games. Other analysts feel similarly.

It's hard to call the 49ers overlooked when they are a consensus playoff team in the NFL's most front-heavy division. Let's assume San Francisco fans are self-aware enough to dismiss the dramatic outrage that Juszczyk is peddling. After all, third place in the NFC West is still sufficient to secure a spot in the postseason, which it was for the Niners in 2025.

San Francisco travels far for another easy schedule

NFC West teams are used to traveling long distances. The Rams and 49ers frequently top the list of miles traversed, and that isn't about to change in 2026.

Where San Francisco deviates from the rest of the NFC West is in strength of schedule. Their rivals all have difficult slates this season. By projected win totals, Los Angeles has the toughest schedule in the division. On the other hand, the Niners were awarded one of the easiest calendars for a second consecutive season.

If Juszczyk wants to be showered with lofty projections, his team will have to reclaim the division crown. Or perhaps he can persuade general manager John Lynch to take risky moves to improve the roster. Anyway, since when have preseason projections held any real significance for players?

Apparently they mean quite a bit to thin-skinned fullbacks. Pardon the dig.

Uncertainty at this time of year compels fans to seek reassurance with projections and other prognostications. The fate of the team, of course, rests squarely in the hands of players. That's less about uncertainty and more about confidence.

Unfortunately for LA, success is not determined by analysts' projections. It's built on knowing what must be done and doing it. Players and even fans know that. Evidently, at least one 49er didn't get the memo.

As always, thanks for reading.

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