The San Francisco 49ers' path to the Super Bowl is starting to become clear with them likely set for either the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NFC playoffs.
The 49ers are one game back of the Minnesota Vikings for the second seed with three games left in the regular season, giving them four realistic opening-round opponents in the playoffs.
The New York Giants, Washington Commanders, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions are fighting for the last two wild-card spots, which will face the second and third seeds in the postseason.
Kyle Shanahan's team will likely not face the Dallas Cowboys, who appear set for a first-round clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Given recent results or simply the overall talent of the roster, San Francisco will have the edge in all four of its potential wild-card round matchups, but some games will be easier than others.
The New York Giants have the best odds to make the postseason out of the four serious wild-card contenders, and they are the most likely opponent for the 49ers, especially if San Francisco beats Washington in Week 16.
They are also the team the 49ers should want to play the most.
New York gives up the third-most rushing yards on defense, and it has one of the weaker passing offenses in the NFL.
San Francisco's league-best rushing defense is capable of containing Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. If the 49ers slow them down, they should have a path to victory because of the weak passing game that is led by receivers Darius Slayton and Richie James.
San Francisco can control that matchup through Christian McCaffrey's ground prowess, and its defense can stop the Giants offense when needed.
No one wants to see the Detroit Lions in the postseason. Detroit is playing some of the best football of any team in the NFL right now.
If the 49ers beat the Commanders, the path to the postseason opens up more for the Lions, who should beat the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.
Detroit's running back duo of Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift can be tough to control. Jared Goff has a good handle of the passing game, and he has a top-tier wide out in Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Detroit would also come into Levi's Stadium with no fear, because simply making the playoffs would surpass the franchise's expectations.
The 49ers should still beat the Lions, but it would definitely be one of the more difficult matchups they could face.
The 49ers have already beaten the Seattle Seahawks twice this year.
Kyle Shanahan and his staff know how to deal with Pete Carroll and the Seahawks. Playing a divisional rival three times in one season typically is not ideal, but the 49ers should be more than prepared for the Seahawks.
A third game against them is more preferable than a rematch with Washington, which comes to town in Week 16.
The 49ers may not eliminate the potential of playing the Commanders by beating them in Week 16. The Seahawks plays the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16, and Washington will still have an edge in the loss column from its tie against the Giants.