The 49ers will play the NFC East this season, beginning with the Washington Commanders at Levi’s Stadium in Week 6. They’ll then travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys in Week 9, head to the Big Apple for a Week 13 matchup with the New York Giants, and finish the NFC East slate when the Philadelphia Eagles come to the Bay in Week 17.
In this installment of 49ers vs, I’ll break down what each NFC East team looks like heading into the 2026 season and how the 49ers stack up against them as of now.
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The Eagles are an interesting team entering 2026. Last season they looked strong at times, but whatever was happening in their locker room caused the wheels to fall off — and it showed in the Wild Card loss. Philadelphia is usually balanced on both sides of the ball, but all eyes will be on Jalen Hurts this season. His play will determine how far the Eagles go.
Could this be the beginning of the end for the Eagles, or business as usual?
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The Cowboys enter the 2026 season much like they do every year — good on paper, but we’ll see. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens form one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL, and the defense has plenty of talent. Depth is the question.
If Dallas stays healthy, they can become a legitimate threat in the NFC. Is this finally the year Dak Prescott delivers?
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The Commanders are looking to bounce back after a rough 2025 season. Jayden Daniels only played seven games, going 2–5 in those starts. Washington looks like it will have a solid offense but plenty of questions on defense.
If things start to go south, could Dan Quinn’s seat begin to heat up? This is another team that looks good on paper but might be in for a tough season.
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Nothing Major
The 2026 Giants are another intriguing team in this division. They have a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball and a young offense that showed flashes last season. New York has enough pieces to make a playoff push, and big‑picture wise, the future looks bright.
The John Harbaugh era in New York appears promising from the star
All four NFC East teams have the potential to make the playoffs this season, making this one of the tougher divisions in football. Depth will likely determine who comes out on top. The Eagles might be the early front‑runner due to their consistency, and if the Giants stay healthy, they could easily take over the division.
The Cowboys and Commanders both look like teams that could take a step forward — or backward — depending on health and stability.
Overall, the 49ers match up well with every NFC East team. None of them are overly concerning at this point, but that will be a week‑to‑week evaluation once the season begins. This division remains unpredictable heading into 2026.
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