The San Francisco 49ers are set to take on the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sunday, September 7, to kick off the 2025 NFL regular season. The two teams split their two meeting in 2024, but by and large, the 49ers have had the upper hand on their division rivals recently. The game itself will have no shortage of storylines from Sam Darnold’s debut as a Seahawk to Klint Kubiak facing his former team as the new Offensive Coordinator in Seattle.
The 49ers have had an interesting offseason. Jauan Jennings still hasn’t returned from his calf injury or received a new contract, and the team has sustained numerous injuries during the preseason and training camp, which caused the team to perform roster gymnastics to complete their initial 53-man roster.
The chess match between Kubiak and Robert Saleh is a top matchup for Week 1, but the Kyle Shanahan and Mike MacDonald matchup is where the money will be made during the season opener. MacDonald’s defense famously bested the 49ers on Christmas Day of 2023 as the Baltimore Ravens’ Defensive Coordinator, but Shanahan hasn’t had issues facing MacDonald as the Head Coach of Seattle.
Seattle has improved its defensive talent, and MacDonald has deployed some interesting defensive looks, both pre- and post-snap, during the “vanilla” portion of his defensive install during the preseason. Meanwhile, the 49ers have over a week to figure out their wide receiver groupings and rotations before the matchup.
Here are a few ways the 49ers can attack Seattle, even with limited wide receiver options.
21 personnel
The 49ers led the NFL, running 34.80% of their plays from this personnel package. Surprisingly, the 49ers also led the league in pass rate from 21 with 45.10%. Much of that is based on play action, but while the 21 personnel grouping will be at the forefront again in 2025 and Week 1, the two running backs on the field may be different, as Shanahan will need to create mismatches on offense.
Kyle Juszczyk will be on the field with Christian McCaffrey on early downs. Still, Shanahan could deploy McCaffrey in the slot with Brian Robinson in the backfield and George Kittle, Ricky Pearsall, and Marquez Valdez-Scantling or Robbie Chosen out wide. The combination of McCaffrey and Robinson presents the threat of rushing and passing. As a receiver, McCaffrey is still lethal, and the 49ers can create valuable touches (receptions are more valuable than rushes) for the skilled running back while keeping him fresh and out of harm’s way.
Marquez Valdez-Scantling/Robbie Chosen
Now, stay with me on this one. Let’s get the obvious out of the way: if someone had told you that either of these players could have a chance to start as the “X” receiver in Week 1, you would say? While it’s not an ideal situation, there are benefits from either veteran playing primarily outside for the 49ers offense.
MVS is primarily an “X” receiver with speed, but his route tree is limited, and he struggles with drops. However, his straight-line speed can be used with clear-out routes, which open up underneath windows for Kittle and McCaffrey. Even Pearsall stands to benefit with the backside dig opening up as Valdez-Scantling or Chosen takes defenders with them.
That’s not to say Pearsall won’t occupy the “X” spot during Week 1, but you can bet a package of plays will be designed for the two practice squad call-ups to impact the offense without impacting the box score. In 2024, between Buffalo and New Orleans, MVS was on the field for 383 snaps outside to only 88 in the slot.
More George Kittle
It doesn’t take an offensive genius to realize Kittle needs to be the focal point of the passing offense, not only in the early stages of the season, but all of 2025. There are no signs of slowing down for the 31-year-old, and while his 2024 was insanely efficient, it’s time to get Kittle the ball as much as possible and draw plays up for him specifically.
Attracting second-level defenders to Kittle stands to benefit the rushing attack and passing offense. Play action becomes far more lethal if Kittle starts to heat up and draw attention from linebackers and safeties. This one is fairly simple: feed Kittle, and allow him to help open up the offense.
There is still much to figure out about the 49ers’ wide receivers before next Sunday’s matchup. Jennings could return, Kendrick Bourne could be added to the fold, or the 49ers could add other receivers they deem more suitable for the current roster construction. However it shakes out, these are ways to gain advantages against Seattle and help them to leave with a win.
For a more detailed discussion about the 49ers’ options, check out the video below with Locked on 49ers host Brian Peacock.
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