Seahawks vs. 49ers Prediction & Betting Picks (January 3, 2026)
The game of the week arrives on Saturday, with the Seattle Seahawks visiting the Bay Area to settle the NFC West (and the #1 seed in the NFC) against the rival San Francisco 49ers.
Seattle will be a surprising 1.5-point favorite despite playing this game on the road. They’re also running into a red hot Niners offense that is putting up 40-point games like it’s nothing.
The Seahawks do boast the far better defense on paper, however, and the oddsmakers have them priced as the likely victor. There is major opportunity for edge throughout this game, but that doesn’t make it any easier to predict.
With so much riding on this game, both teams should come to play, and we can expect a back-and-forth battle that isn’t decided until the final minutes. What does that mean in terms of a Seahawks vs. 49ers prediction? Let’s look at the latest odds and key matchups to see which bets stand out the most.
Game Info Snapshot
- Date & Location: Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 | Kickoff at 7:00 pm (8:00 pm ET) at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA
- Team records entering the game:
- Seattle Seahawks: 13-3
- San Francisco 49ers: 12-4
- Odds (from FanDuel)
- Spread: Seahawks -2.5 (-112) | 49ers +2.5 (-108)
- Moneyline: Seahawks (-148) | 49ers (+126)
- Total: Over 47.5 (-110) | Under 47.5 (-110)
Seattle is a very mild favorite, but that tells you how the oddsmakers view them since this is a tough divisional road game.
The game total is a bit higher than expected given Seattle’s defensive ability, but given how much the 49ers have been scoring, it might be a spot bettors can exploit.
Storylines to Watch
There are some big storylines heading into this matchup, and some could impact how you bet on the Seahawks vs. 49ers game. Here are the big ones to consider:
- Red Hot Brock: Brock Purdy has missed some time in 2025, but he’s been brilliant when he’s played. That’s certainly been the case lately, as he comes into this massive showdown with back-to-back 5-touchdown efforts.
- All the Marbles: The major storyline is what’s at stake. The winner of this game gets the NFC West division title, but also wins the top seed in the NFC, including a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
- Leaky D: San Francisco has been amazing on offense, but their defense has left a lot to be desired. If that unit can’t step up in some capacity on Saturday, it could allow the Seahawks to obtain the edge they need to score a big road win.
Team Profiles
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks were a pretty average team the last few years, but they made a concerted effort to change their roster by bringing in Sam Darnold under center and unleashing young receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba.
All that’s transpired is one of the best passing games in pro football, and a team that is extremely difficult to stop. On top of having an elite offense, the Seahawks boast a hard-hitting defense that takes no prisoners.
Seattle did open the year with a loss to these very 49ers, but it was a close game, and they’ve only lost twice since. A good chunk of their victories have been lopsided, while they haven’t lost a single game all year by more than four points.
This is a very good team that has legit title aspirations. Let’s take a closer look at where they’ve stood out in particular in the year:
- Pass Attack: Darnold has been sensational for much of the year, while he’s really utilized JSN (1,700 yards) as much as defenses will allow it. The two have paced a lethal passing game that ranks 2nd in yards per pass and stands in as the league’s 8th best offense through the air.
- Stop the Run: Seattle isn’t great at running the ball, but they’re very good at stopping it. Their defensive line is positively nasty, limiting opponents to just 3.7 yards per carry (1st) and only 94.1 yards per game (3rd) on the ground.
- Nothing Easy: The Seahawks are particularly stingy when it comes to allowing rushing scores (2nd), and that bleeds into a hard-nosed red-zone defense. Opponents only score 50.9% of the time past the 20, giving Seattle the 7th best RZ defense in the NFL.
San Francisco 49ers
The Niners probably should have been dead long ago. They’ve endured injury after injury, with star quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle missing gobs of time, while wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk literally hasn’t played a down.
The team also lost top pass rusher Nick Bosa for the season, and have been playing without stud linebacker Fred Warner. How they are 12-4 and playing for their division and the #1 seed in the NFC is beyond all logic.
Still, head coach Kyle Shanahan deserves a ton of credit for formulating winning game plans and finding ways to win until his team got healthier. The offense has fully rounded into form, so the defense perking up may be the only thing standing in the way of a title run.
Before we look that far ahead, let’s see what’s helped the 49ers get to this point:
- Air Assault: Much like Seattle, San Fran’s path to success is through the skies. Brock Purdy has been unstoppable, while Mac Jones thrives when Purdy missed time. Kyle Shanahan’s crew is explosive down the field (7th in yards per pass) and highly accurate (2nd), while churning out 252 passing yards per game (4th).
- Finish the Job: San Francisco moves the ball well, but the thing that takes their offense to an elite level is their ability to punch in scores. Christian McCaffrey is their finisher inside the 20, as he’s dangerous as both a runner and receiver for an offense that scores 66% of the time (2nd).
- Max Protect: The 49ers are sluggish on the ground, but they’re elite through the air due to their o-line play. Trent Williams is a huge part of the league’s 5th-best pass protection rate, but keep in mind that his status is in doubt for this contest.
Key Matchups & Angles
Check out the key Seahawks vs. 49ers matchups:
- 49ers’ passing game vs. Seahawks’ pass defense: The Niners need to have success through the air to win this game. They have proven they can pass on anyone, but Seattle (1st in yards per pass allowed) is a different animal.
- Seattle’s pass rush vs. San Francisco’s o-line: The status of Trent Williams is huge for what the 49ers want to do in this game. San Francisco is elite at protecting the quarterback, but a capable Seahawks pass rush (14th-best sack rate) could feast if San Fran’s best offensive lineman is out.
- Turnover Battle: This one tilts in favor of the Seahawks, who force 1.5 turnovers per game (5th) and face a 49ers offense that has a 2.7% pick rate (26th) and coughs up 1.0 turnovers per game (22). Seattle can be just as clumsy, though, as they’re second to last in giveaways (1.8) per contest.
Betting Trends & Odds Context
Take a look at the latest Seahawks vs. 49ers odds, per FanDuel:
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
Seahawks | -2.5 (-112) | -148 | Over 47.5 (-110) |
49ers | +2.5 (-108) | +126 | Under 47.5 (-110) |
Take a look at some key betting trends for this showdown:
- Public Betting: Seattle is favored, but the public money is on the 49ers right now, with 66% of bets in their favor and 62% of the money on them as well.
- Record History: These are division rivals, so they’ve faced each other quite a bit. This will be their 56th meeting, with the Seahawks holding a 31-24 advantage. The 49ers won the most recent game (17-13) and are 7-1 over the last eight games.
- ATS Tidbits: Seattle has been very good against the spread (11-5), while they are 9-4 ATS when favored, 7-1 ATS on the road, and 3-2 ATS inside the division. San Francisco is just as good (10-5-1) against the spread, but they are 2-3 ATS as the underdog and 3-3-1 ATS at home.
Best Bets for 49ers vs. Seahawks
Pick 1: 49ers ML (+110) – 7/10 Confidence
Why We Like It
The 49ers have looked unstoppable on offense lately, and they get a familiar foe at home with a lot on the line. I’m trusting the home team as much as I’m not trusting Sam Darnold in the clutch.
Risks/What to Watch
Darnold could always play well and exploit a pretty bad Niners defense, while the status of Trent Williams could flip this game on its side. If either of those are true, the Seahawks could absolutely steal the win.
Pick 2: Over 47.5 (-112) – 7/10 Confidence
Why We Like It
Seattle’s defense is good, but they’ll be on the road against a very good offense that can hurt you from all over the field. They’ll need to score to keep up, so I’d be smashing the Over.
Risks/What to Watch
It’s a tense divisional clash with seriously high stakes. Given the turnover issues on both sides, it wouldn’t be that crazy to see a somewhat low-scoring game.
Pick 3: Prop Play – Christian McCaffrey Anytime TD Scorer (-160) – 7/10 Confidence
Why We Like It
Free money. Obviously, touchdown props can fail, but C-Mac has major TD equity within this offense and is a serious threat both as a runner and receiver. With 17 total touchdowns and a score in 12 games, he feels like a smash bet.
Risks/What to Watch
Touchdown variance is a thing, and Seattle has been pretty stingy on rushing scores in 2025, so it’s always possible they sell out on stopping C-Mac once the Niners pass the 20.
Seahawks vs. 49ers odds continue to move as bettors react to NFC West and No. 1 seed stakes — track every line shift, compare spreads and totals, and lock in the best value before kickoff at our top football betting sites.
Final Verdict: 49ers Sweep Seahawks, Lock Up #1 Seed
Does anyone else have a feeling that the 49ers are insanely stacked and simply survived a season of endless injuries to once again put themselves in position to chase a title? Because that’s what it feels like!
The Niners have everything in front of them here, as they get to play the biggest game of the year at home. They definitely have red flags on defense, but their offense has been virtually unstoppable to the point where betting against them feels silly.
The easiest Seahawks vs. 49ers pick to get behind is C-Mac finding the endzone. However, the 49ers at plus money at home is also pretty amazing. Their offense is firing on all cylinders, too, so I expect them to put up points. That will force Seattle’s hand and will see this game easily pass this relatively modest total.
Final Score Prediction: San Francisco 49ers 27, Seattle Seahawks 23
