Teams the 49ers want pushed away from the Divisional Round:

Dallas Cowboys – The toughest stylistic matchup for San Francisco in the NFC.
Los Angeles Rams – Sean McVay always schemes well against Shanahan.
Green Bay Packers – Jordan Love has become unpredictable and dangerous.

Teams the 49ers are comfortable facing earlier:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Defensive toughness, but limited explosiveness.
Atlanta Falcons – Physical team but lacks high-end offensive punch.
Philadelphia Eagles – A rematch, but a favorable matchup for San Francisco.
Detroit Lions – Dangerous, but defensively vulnerable to Shanahan’s attack.

Divisional Round: The Opponent San Francisco Wants

The 49ers’ dream Divisional Round opponent is clear:

The Buccaneers or the Falcons.

Both are physical, well-coached, but limited teams that struggle against:

Motion-heavy offenses
Layered run concepts
Yards-after-catch teams
Elite tackle play on defense

The 49ers match up beautifully with these rosters, particularly because neither has the secondary depth to handle San Francisco’s formation shifts or the run discipline to contain Shanahan’s rushing attack.

A perfect scenario:
The No. 4 seed wins on Wild Card Weekend — and walks into Levi’s Stadium the following week.

The Ideal NFC Championship Game Opponent

The ultimate dream opponent?
The Detroit Lions.

Detroit is talented, tough, and explosive, but they are not built to slow the 49ers’ offense. Their linebackers struggle with eye discipline, their secondary is inconsistent, and their defensive front has difficulty handling wide-zone rushing attacks.

Detroit also lacks the playoff experience to match San Francisco in high-leverage situations.

The Lions are dangerous — but they are not the nightmare matchup that Dallas or Los Angeles would be.

Health Is the True Key: The Bye Week Is a Dream in Itself

The 49ers’ dream playoff path hinges on one absolute truth:

They must get healthy at the right time.

The first-round bye accomplishes:

Full rest for Christian McCaffrey
Additional time for Trent Williams’ body recovery
Extra healing for Deebo Samuel’s lower-body wear
More reps for Brock Purdy’s shoulder/timing window
Opportunity to reset defensive rotations

No team in the NFL relies on its top playmakers more than the 49ers.
No team benefits more from a bye.

The bye isn’t just convenient — it’s transformative for San Francisco.

What Must Happen for the Dream Scenario to Come True

The path is clear but requires specific outcomes:

1. The 49ers win out.
Anything less risks losing the No. 1 seed.

2. The Cowboys drop at least one game.
Their schedule’s difficulty works in San Francisco’s favor.

3. The Lions hold their spot as the No. 2 or No. 3 seed.
This keeps Dallas on the lower side of the bracket.

4. The NFC South champ wins its Wild Card matchup.
This funnels a weaker team into the Divisional Round.

If these four things happen, San Francisco’s dream scenario becomes reality.

Final Outlook: The Path Is There — Now the 49ers Must Take It

The 49ers are one of the NFL’s most complete teams when healthy, but the postseason is not just about skill — it’s about positioning. With three weeks remaining, San Francisco has a chance to orchestrate a playoff bracket perfectly suited to its strengths.

A first-round bye.
A vulnerable Divisional Round opponent.
Avoiding Dallas until the NFC title game.
A winnable NFC Championship matchup.

This is the 49ers’ dream scenario.

And for the first time all season, the dream feels legitimately within reach.