Why the 49ers Can Win the NFC West this Year

Of all the teams that finished last in their respective divisions last season, the 49ers probably have the best chance to go to the playoffs this year.

That's because the 49ers still have a ton of talent on their roster and in their coaching staff. Plus, their schedule is incredibly easy. That's why so many people expect the 49ers to win at least 10 games.

Today, CBS Sports laid out what has to go right for the 49ers to win the NFC West.

"The offensive stars get healthy and the defensive makeover works like gangbusters," writes CBS Sports' Jared Dubin.

"The Niners were absolutely demolished by injury issues last season. Christian McCaffrey basically never got started. Deebo Samuel never got fully healthy. Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL. Ricky Pearsall got shot and had to miss extended time. George Kittle missed some games. Trent Williams was out down the stretch. It was a lot to deal with, and the offense looked nothing like the one the team expected to put on the field throughout the season.

"McCaffrey and Williams are older, but they should be coming into this season healthy. Samuel is gone and Aiyuk is still rehabbing from the knee injury, but Pearsall should have a healthy offseason, Kittle is healthy at Tight End University and Jauan Jennings is now more established as a high-level receiving option. We know that there are few better coaches at scheming things up than Kyle Shanahan, and Brock Purdy proved last year that he can find some degree of success even when the environment around him is not as perfect as it was through his first two seasons. If they can keep the stars on the field, the Niners should get back to being a top five-ish offense.

"The defense is where they need to make a more significant shift, but luckily, there are reinforcements in town. Robert Saleh is back to run the unit after spending a few years as head coach of the Jets. New York's offense unsurprisingly stunk during his time at the helm, but the defenses were consistently very good. He knows how to get the best out of his players. And there are a whole lot of new players out of whom he needs to get the best, what with Dre Greenlaw, Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga and more moving on in free agency and guys like Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, Nick Martin, Upton Stout, CJ West (all of whom are rookies) and more coming in to replace them."

Dubin laid out the best-case scenario in terrific detail. Still, it seems like so much has to go the 49ers' way for them to win the division. They need older players to stay young and younger players to grow up fast, which could happen, but it seems improbable.