The San Francisco 49ers will have nothing to play for next week when they host the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18. With a win over the Washington Commanders and a loss by the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, the 49ers locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
That means they’ll have a first-round bye in the playoffs, a huge benefit for the team up in the Bay Area. That could end up helping the Rams, too. With the No. 1 seed locked up, the 49ers could opt to rest their starters next week against Los Angeles, avoiding any possible injuries to their key players.
It’s not certain that they’ll pull their starters in the finale against the Rams, but it’s a possibility thanks to the way things played out in Week 17. Obviously, the 49ers would be taking a risk by resting their starters for two weeks in a row, but it might be worth that risk as opposed to putting key players in harm’s way.
Either way, the Rams can punch their ticket to the playoffs next week with a win over the 49ers. Or, they could clinch sooner if the Seahawks lose to the Steelers or the Vikings and Packers tie on Sunday night.