Jan. 9, 2026, 1:29 p.m. ET

Each glance at the Las Vegas sportsbooks tells us the same thing it did when the odds were first released: The Philadelphia Eagles are home favorites vs. the San Francisco 49ers as we near the Wild Card Round game. Make no mistake. This is, in no way, a walkthrough that the NFC East champions can afford to be overconfident in.

It’s easy to get lost in conversations about Kyle Shanahan and the chess match he’ll have with Vic Fangio. The 49ers have as talented an offense as the NFLoffers, even if there is a litany of injuries worth discussing.

Remember, these 49ers were playing for home-field advantage throughout the NFC Playoffs in Week 18. Even though they only scored three points in that game, in part because Trent Williams didn’t play, the Eagles can’t drift into a false sense of security.

San Francisco has been banged up for most of the regular season, and yet, they can still score 35 points or more with relative ease. Philadelphia hasn’t been able to do that for most of the season.

We know who some of the 49ers’ best players on defense are: Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Nick Martin, Mykel Williams, and Tatum Bethune. All of those guys are on injured reserve. Defensive end Keion White (groin, hamstring) and linebacker Dee Williams (ankle) aren’t practicing.

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Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott (knee) and EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee) are practicing, but they were limited as late as Thursday. That obviously increases Philadelphia’s chances of winning, but there are still several 49ers who deserve a mention.

Bryce Huff, EDGE

Bryce Huff went from being signed to a massive deal during the 2024 offseason to being a healthy scratch in Super Bowl LIX. He says he doesn’t acknowledge his ring because he doesn’t play for participation trophies.

On June 2, 2025, Huff was traded to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick that could upgrade to a fourth based on performance. Things started well, four sacks in his first seven games, but he hasn’t registered a sack since Week 7. That conditional pick will remain a fifth-rounder.

Guys like this are interesting, though. Could he rise to the occasion and play out of his mind in a revenge game? One can never tell. Place an asterisk beside his name.

Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green, cornerbacks

The San Francisco 49ers have tallied six interceptions on the season. The leader in that category is Deommodore Lenoir. He has hauled in two.

On the other side of the formation is rookie Renardo Green. Fellow rookie Upton Stout starts in the slot. It appears the Eagles will have some opportunities to make some plays in the passing game.

Sam Okuayinonu, defensive tackle

Sam Okuayinonu isn’t going to get a ton of hype on a 49ers team with stars all over the place. He is a potential X-factor. He has notched 39 tackles and a forced fumble in 15 games with 12 starts.

He has also notched three sacks this season. Only Bryce Huff and Clelin Ferrell have more on this defensive roster.

Luke Gifford, linebacker

With Fred Warner, Nick Martin, and Tatum Bethune on the injured reserve, Dee Winters seems to be the man in this linebacker corps to watch, and he might be if he plays. If he doesn’t, Luke Gifford is suddenly the best this unit has to offer.

Gifford has appeared in all 17 games this season. He has contributed to the cause with a pass breakup and a pass breakup.

Malik Mustapha and Jason Pinnock, safeties

Ji’Ayir Brown is dealing with a rib injury, but he has been a full participant at practice. Keep an eye on him. You should also pay attention to Malik Mustapha and Jason Pinnock.

The latter two have combined for 17 starts this season. Mustapha has 76 tackles, a quarterback hit, and an interception on the season. Pinnock has added 41 tackles. They’ll certainly have much to do with how this game plays out.