The San Francisco 49ers come into the 2024 season with few questions on their roster and the burden of high expectations.

Kyle Shanahan’s team has at least made it to the NFC Championship Game in four of the last five seasons. Yet, he still hasn’t come away with a Lombardi Trophy yet.

The goal this year is obviously to get over the hump and finally win the whole thing. Last season the Niners brought quarterback questions into the season. it wasn’t clear what things would look like with Brock Purdy as the full-time starting quarterback.

As it turns out, it looks just fine. Purdy was an efficient executor of the offense with 31 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and a passer rating of 113.0.

There are still some concerns that could keep this team from being as dominant as last year’s 12-5 team. The offensive line still has a few questions and Brandon Aiyuk’s contract situation needs to be resolved.

With those things in mind, here’s a look at the complete 2024 schedule and a prediction for how things will turn out.

• Week 1: vs. New York Jets, Monday, Sept. 9, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)
• Week 2: at Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Sept. 15, 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
• Week 3: at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Sept. 22, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Week 4: vs. New England Patriots, Sunday, Sept. 29, 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Week 5: vs. Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Oct. 6, 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Week 6: at Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Oct. 10, 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)
• Week 7: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Oct. 20, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Week 8: vs. Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Oct. 27, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)*
• Week 9: BYE
• Week 10: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Nov. 10, 1 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Week 11: vs. Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Nov. 17, 4:05 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Week 12: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Nov. 24, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Week 13: at Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Dec. 1, 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC)*
• Week 14: vs. Chicago Bears, Sunday, Dec. 8, 4:25 p.m. ET (FOX)
• Week 15: vs. Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 12, 8:15 p.m. ET (Prime Video)*
• Week 16: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 22, 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)
• Week 17: vs. Detroit Lions, Monday, Dec. 30, 8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC)*
• Week 18: at Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Jan. 5

Expectations couldn’t be higher for the Niners. It’s Super Bowl or bust. That’s not actually true for most teams, but this iteration of the 49ers has done everything else. Toppling the Chiefs dynasty and lifting the trophy is the only conclusion that is going to feel satisfying.

The odds reinforce that idea.

The Niners have the second-shortest odds to win the Super Bowl over at DraftKings Sportsbook. They are +600 while the rival Chiefs aren’t too far ahead at +500. They are tied with the Chiefs for the highest win total at 11.5 with just +105 odds for taking the over.

Offensively, the Niners are in good shape to repeat their success. The offensive line has some questions. Colton McKivitz is back as the right tackle. He had his fair share of struggles last season and the team could turn to rookie Dominick Puni to be the starting right guard.

Then there’s the Brandon Aiyuk situation. The receiver is instrumental to what the Niners do with their passing attack, but he’s still holding out as a he seeks a new contract.

Defensively, San Francisco has a good amount of new personnel to break in. The front office did a good job of replacing their losses. For example, Leonard Floyd is a nearly direct replacement for Chase Young.

It might take some time for all of those new talents to meld together, but it should still be a good unit if their health remains.

There’s a reason the oddsmakers are so high on the 49ers. It’s hard to find things to dislike.

The only box that Brock Purdy didn’t check last season was being able to outduel Patrick Mahomes. That’s a box that most can’t check.

What he did prove is that he’s a great fit for Kyle Shanahan and his vision for the offense. The ceiling for the unit is going to be determined by how the Brandon Aiyuk situation plays out. If he returns to the team and plays up to his talent, the Niners could again have one of the best offenses in the league.

If Aiyuk is traded then the Niners are still going to be a good offense. The ceiling will be lower, but Shanahan’s play-calling and approach to offense combined with the existing talent on the roster will help them remain a threat.

The same thing could really be said of the defense. There are concerns. The depth of the unit has been eroded by free agency losses and some draft misfires, but there’s enough of a track record to believe the coaching staff will get things figured out.

The Niners might fall just short of the 11.5 line, but they’ll be in the running for the top seed.

Prediction: 11-6