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After finishing third in the NFC West last season, the San Francisco 49ers will be looking to climb back to the top of the division in 2026.
In order for that to happen, they’ll likely need a big season from one particular new addition.
Mike Evans named X-Factor for 49ers ahead of 2026 NFL season
ESPN’s Ben Solak recently named the biggest X-Factor for every team in the league heading into the ’26 season, and veteran wide receiver Mike Evans was the selection for the 49ers.
Evans signed a three-year, $42.4 million contract with San Francisco in free agency after spending the first 12 years of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"I loved the Evans signing. Getting Kyle Shanahan the type of receiver he had lacked since becoming the head coach of the 49ers -- a big, long, downfield ball-winner, short-yardage specialist and red zone mismatch -- opened new and exciting possibilities in the offense," Solak wrote.
". . . But if Evans cannot stay on the field or is absent of twitch when he's on it, there's not enough downfield playmaking in the group (unless Stribling is the Offensive Rookie of the Year). The floor for any Shanahan-led offense is very high, but the ceiling this year is set by Evans."
Evans is coming off of the first season of his career in which he played less than 10 games and tallied less than 1,000 receiving yards. So in San Francisco he'll have to prove that he can still be an integral, and reliable, contributor on offense.
If he is able to regain form, the Niners' offense will benefit in a big way. If not, things could potentially get ugly in San Francisco.
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