What is that one player on the San Francisco 49ers who is their X factor? The player who makes a huge difference, whether they are starting or not.
It’s hard to answer that question, since the 49ers were collectively injured yet still made the playoffs in 2025. To put the onus on one player is pretty difficult, as the 49ers took hit after hit when the likes of Fred Warner, Nick Bosa, and even Brock Purdy went down.
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Fox Sports’ Ben Arther went through all 32 teams in the league to designate one player as their “X Factor”. For the 49ers, he chose linebacker Dre Greenlaw:
Greenlaw was the heartbeat of the Niners in his first stint with the team from 2019-24. After a year in Denver, he returns to San Francisco as the expected starter at weakside linebacker. In Greenlaw’s first six seasons with San Francisco, the defense played significantly better with him on the field. Overall, including the playoffs, the 49ers went 52-24 when Greenlaw played.
Well, if 2024 is anything to go by, the 49ers’ run defense is certainly better when Greenlaw was on the field. There’s an argument to be made that if Greenlaw didn’t suffer that Achilles injury in the 2023 season during the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 49ers may have won that game (2023’s Great Disappointment).
We’re now in 2026. Is Greenlaw still that guy? I’d think so. Brock Purdy could be an X factor, but Mac Jones stepped in and held down the fort just fine in Purdy’s absence last year. Yes, it was a step down, but Jones at least told us things weren’t going into the tank if he was going under center.
If not Greenlaw, I’d make a strong case for wide receiver Mike Evans, for many of the same reasons on offense that Greenlaw would give on defense. It all boils down to whether we get 2024 Mike Evans or 2025 Mike Evans. One is not like the other. Though it could be argued that Kyle Shanahan is about to give Evans his best season as a pro.
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Then there’s Fred Warner. How much better can he already be? The only issue for Warner is if he can stay healthy.
Which is Greenlaw’s issue as well. He didn’t get to play much with the Denver Broncos last year, and didn’t play much in 2024 either. Greenlaw needs to take steps forward to stay healthy. If he can stay there, along with Warner, the 49ers’ defense can vastly improve.
Some of you may say someone like Nick Bosa or Fred Warner. I’d agree their presence is invaluable, but I’d also say I don’t know how they help the 49ers’ trajectory beyond what’s already expected of them.
Then again, maybe health is the X factor for the 49ers. If the whole team can get to the postseason unscathed, that might be the ultimate thing to improve this team’s trajectory. Limited to just a single player, who do you think is the 49ers’ biggest X-factor?
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