Heading into the 2023 NFL season, the NFC West has one clear genuine Super Bowl contender and another team rising to challenge them. That would be the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks, who are both far more talented than the division-rival Los Angeles Rams and the Arizona Cardinals are right now, at least on paper.
On offense, the Niners are the obvious winners within the division despite having the worst QB situation. The best of them is Geno Smith, narrowly beating out Kyler Murray – who’s more talented but has nothing to work with – and Matt Stafford – who might out-perform Smith but has overuse-injury questions hanging over him. Seattle is well-represented on defense too but San Francisco is dominant on that side of the ball, as well.
Here is who we would start at each position this coming season given our choice from all four teams in the NFC West.
QB: Geno Smith - Seahawks
RB: Christian McCaffrey - 49ers
WR: Cooper Kupp - Rams
WR: Deebo Samuel - 49ers
WR: DK Metcalf - Seahawks
TE: George Kittle - 49ers
LT: Trent Williams - 49ers
LG: Paris Johnson Jr. - Cardinals
C: Brian Allen - Rams
RG: Will Hernandez - Cardinals
RT: Abe Lucas - Seahawks
DL: Nick Bosa - 49ers
DL: Aaron Donald - Rams
DL: Javon Hargrave - 49ers
DL: Arik Armstead - 49ers
LB: Bobby Wagner - Seahawks
LB: Fred Warner - 49ers
LCB: Devon Witherspoon - Seahawks
RCB: Tariq Woolen - Seahawks
SCB: Isaiah Oliver - 49ers
SS: Budda Baker - Cardinals
FS: Quandre Diggs - Seahawks
