Super Bowl stock report for NFL Week 6: 49ers emerge as new favorites, Bears await Caleb Williams' return

We assess the NFL title race after Week 5 and identify three upcoming games that could reshape the Super Bowl picture Entering the 2026 NFL season, prognosticators had their choice of the two perceived NFC West frontrunners in projecting the eventual Super Bowl champion. The Los Angeles Rams were the popular pick because of their masterclass of an offseason, while the Seattle Seahawks were the logical "we can't bet against them until they give us a reason to" choice coming off their championship run. Most everyone forgot about the other contender in football's strongest division. Injuries derailed the San Francisco 49ers' 2025 campaign, but perhaps the fact that Kyle Shanahan still managed to lead his undermanned squad to a 12-5 record and a playoff berth should have served as an indication of the dominance to come.

They are still not completely healthy, yet they are off to a 5-0 start and have the inside track to a division title and the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Perhaps their seemingly never-ending ailments will catch up to them again, but the same could be said for any team in the league. It is time to simply enjoy what the 49ers are doing and stop worrying about their ability to stay healthy. Frankly, they might just win the Super Bowl regardless of who is available.