49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL vs. the Chiefs on Sunday and will be out for the rest of the season, a massive blow to San Francisco and its long-term goals amid an injury-riddled season.
That, in conjunction with a loss to the Chiefs, sent the Niners' futures odds reeling. At both DraftKings and FanDuel — the duopoly of American sports betting — the 49ers saw their Super Bowl odds fall from +700.
At FanDuel, those odds dropped to +850, below the Lions, which now sit at +750. At DraftKings, the fall was even more precipitous. The 49ers are now +1100, tied with the Bills as the fourth-best Super Bowl favorites after hovering as the second-best favorites for most of the season.
How Brandon Aiyuk's Injury, Loss to Chiefs Changed 49ers' Super Bowl Odds
| Sportsbook | Before Week 7 vs. Chiefs | After Loss, Aiyuk Injury |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | +700 (2nd) | +850 (4th) |
| DraftKings | +700 (T-2nd) | +1100 (T-4th) |
In a corresponding move, the 49ers also fallen below the Lions in the NFC Championship market. While they sat as roughly +300 to +350 favorites across the market before Week 7, they're now +470 at FanDuel and +600 at DraftKings, behind an explosive and physical Lions team that ranks fourth in offensive EPA/play and 10th in defensive EPA/play. Compare that to the 49ers' mark of 13th on defense and seventh on offense.
How Brandon Aiyuk's Injury, Loss to Chiefs Changed 49ers' NFC Championship Odds
| Sportsbook | Before Week 7 vs. Chiefs | After Loss, Aiyuk Injury |
|---|---|---|
| FanDuel | +350 (1st) | +370 (2nd) |
| DraftKings | +300 (1st) | +600 (2nd) |
The Vikings, Packers and Eagles lurk just behind the 49ers as the next-best favorites to win the NFC.
Aiyuk's injury also compounds existing problems across San Francisco's skill position unit. Their best player, Christian McCaffrey, has yet to play a down this season with Achilles problems in both legs. McCaffrey's backup Jordan Mason — more than serviceable in McCaffrey's absence — is dealing with a shoulder injury of his own. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel missed Sunday's game with an illness and wide receiver Jauan Jennings — a blocking machine — also missed Sunday's game with a hip ailment.
Meanwhile, tight end George Kittle and the team's best defensive player in Fred Warner are dealing with injuries, too, but those haven't been enough to take them off the field. And perhaps the team's second-best defensive player in Dre Greenlaw is still recovering from an Achilles rupture he suffered in the Super Bowl in February.
It's a long list of ailments for a team that was heavily favored to win it all during the preseason. Yet still, the 49ers have maintained their position as favorites to win the NFC West, but it's a far cry from their preseason numbers. San Francisco is down from -190 to +115 to win the NFC West, with the Seahawks lurking at +270. Seattle had opened as +650 underdogs in that market before the year.
And at FanDuel, the 49ers are -120 favorites in the NFC West after opening at -220. The Seahawks sit at +250 and opened at +750.
It stands to reason why Aiyuk held out this offseason to secure a long-term contract, which he eventually netted in the form of a four-year extension with the 49ers after potential moves to either New England or Pittsburgh were floated. Instead of hitting unrestricted free agency this offseason coming off of an ACL tear — and being forced to sign a subdued deal — he's secure with $76 million guaranteed.
