Week 6 of the NFL season features a meeting of two of the NFC’s best, and fans don’t have to wait until prime time to watch it.
Sunday afternoon’s bout between the 49ers and Buccaneers (4:25 p.m. ET on CBS) is a battle of 4-1 teams.
It could have major implications on the playoff hunt, especially with San Francisco boasting a perfect 4-0 record in-conference. Even with San Fran QB Brock Purdy and Tampa WR Mike Evans still banged up, this contest carries ample intrigue.
Below, we’ll dive into a 49ers vs. Buccaneers prediction and same-game NFL DFS picks for Week 6. Use PrizePicks to win real-money rewards when your picks are right!
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49ers vs. Buccaneers Prediction, Picks for Sunday
- Sunday marks the 29th time these two sides have met since 1977.
- San Francisco holds a commanding series lead, 21-7-0, with a 642-445 scoring advantage.
- The 49ers are 7-3 in the last 10 matchups, riding a four-game winning streak into this weekend.
San Francisco 49ers Preview
- After making at least the conference championship or Super Bowl in four of five years, the 49ers had a down season in 2024. Their 6-11 record was their lowest win percentage since 2018’s 4-12 effort.
- Despite sustaining a myriad of injuries, winning is back in The Bay. San Francisco is 4-1 but 14th in point differential (+8).
- The 49ers are 3-0 in games Jones starts, with wins coming against the Saints (26-21), Cardinals (16-15), and Rams (26-23 in OT).
- Defense (sixth in scoring) and situational football (fifth on third downs, eighth on fourth downs) have the Niners squeaking out victories.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Preview
- Tom Brady’s retirement after 2022-23 didn’t see the Buccaneers drop off much. They’ve improved by one win in each subsequent season and made the playoffs both times.
- Offense is Tampa Bay’s identity. They rank eighth in EPA/play, per SumerSports, as opposed to 21st on defense.
- Thrilling comebacks and close calls are the theme of the Bucs’ season. They’re 16th in point differential (+3), leaving room for improvement.
- The Buccaneers are tied with the Chiefs and Packers for the NFL’s fewest giveaways with 2.
49ers vs. Buccaneers Same Game Picks for NFL DFS & PrizePicks
Here are three 49ers vs. Buccaneers Week 6 picks for Sunday. Top PrizePicks projections to consider include San Francisco QB Mac Jones and RB Christian McCaffrey, as well as Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield.
49ers QB Mac Jones Projection: 248.5 Pass Yards
- As Purdy’s toe injury lingers, Jones is in line to start again. That’s while he nurses knee and oblique ailments of his own, which limited him at practice this week.
- No NFL team has attempted more passes or gained more passing yards than San Francisco.
- Jones’ 301.7 yards per outing leads the league. In his lone previous game versus Tampa Bay, he threw for 275.
- Sunday presents an interesting stylistic matchup. Per NFL Pro, Jones has football’s fourth-best passer rating (114.0) on short passes. The Buccaneers have allowed the seventh-lowest rating (93.2) on such throws.
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey Projection: 48.5 Receiving Yards
- Entering Week 6, McCaffrey averages 77.4 receiving yards per game. At that pace, he’d shatter the NFL’s all-time record for such yardage by a RB in a season (Del Shofner, 1,097 in 1958).
- Much of McCaffrey’s damage has been done post-catch. His 306 yards after receptions are 56 more than the next-closest player (Falcons RB Bijan Robinson).
- The Buccaneers gave up the third-most receiving yards to RBs (257) from Weeks 1-5, doing so on just 21 receptions.
- Per ESPN’s Mina Kimes, Tampa Bay ranks 28th in DVOA against RBs through the air.
Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield 260.5 Pass + Rush Yards
- Mayfield is pacing for his third 4,000-yard passing season in a row.
- In addition to being 0-4 against the 49ers, Mayfield averages just 169.3 passing yards per game when facing them — his third-lowest mark for any opponent.
- Although San Francisco’s defense is tied for the 11th-fewest rushing yards yielded to QBs, they’re bottom-three in sacks. Mayfield’s elusiveness could come into play.
- Mayfield’s 8.12% scramble rate is a career-high. According to SumerSports, it’s seventh among all QBs with at least 100 plays.
- Another injury to note: WR Chris Godwin (fibula) isn't expected to play.
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