NFL Power Rankings: San Francisco 49ers Face A Major Ranking Divide After Week 9

San Francisco 49ers are 7-1 after a 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.© Image via: X/@49ers

Five takeaways and 38 points usually settle an argument. For the San Francisco 49ers, they only started one. The 49ers beat the Las Vegas Raiders 38-17 at Levi's Stadium on Sunday and moved to 7-1, with Mike Evans out of the lineup. NBC Sports Bay Area ranks them first in the NFL. FanSided's Jason La Canfora puts them seventh, behind the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks. Same team, same Sunday, and a six-spot gap. The NFL trade deadline arrives Tuesday, and San Francisco is still shopping.

San Francisco 49ers Offense Thrives Without Mike Evans

Kirk Cousins handed the 49ers three interceptions, and they cashed in. Jordan Watkins scored a milestone touchdown, and the offense produced its 38 points without one of its top targets.

The two rankings treat that result very differently, partly because they disagree about the opponent. NBC has the Raiders 17th at 4-5. FanSided has them 23rd and wonders whether Maxx Crosby will still be in Las Vegas by Wednesday. A win over the 17th-best team looks solid. A win over the 23rd-best team looks routine.

"We got a great team because we have a bunch of dudes that love ball and love each other." @Ticketmaster | #FTTB https://t.co/mflBABRWls

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) November 9, 2026

The records add another wrinkle. Denver and Chicago both stand at 7-2, while San Francisco has lost once. Only Buffalo and the Minnesota Vikings, both 6-1, can match that, and they meet Monday night. One of them will pick up a second loss before the week ends.

Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey And The Trade Deadline

La Canfora spends less time on Sunday's score than on who is standing on the sideline in January. He hopes head coach Kyle Shanahan can build a big enough lead to ease the workload of Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa and George Kittle. He also wonders if the Brandon Aiyuk saga finally ends this week.

That list of names explains why the front office matters as much as the final score. NBC reports the 49ers are working hard on another deal before the deadline. The roster already has the star power at running back, tackle, defensive end and tight end. What it lacks, if anything, is a cushion when one of those four sits.

Neither writer says what the move should be. NBC only hints that the best team in the league could get better with a trade or two, and La Canfora's blurb stays on health and Shanahan's long wait for a title. So Tuesday afternoon will be the real test of how serious San Francisco is about closing the gap between its record and its reputation.