Daniel Jones’ Achilles collapse rattles the AFC while secretly clearing a wide-open path for the 49ers as rookie Leonard steps in as San Francisco’s Week 16 shock starter.QQ
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The San Francisco 49ers‘ season has been littered with bad-luck injuries, but they may be the beneficiary of a devastating injury now.
But with a date against the Indianapolis Colts upcoming in Week 16, the Niners could end up facing off against rookie quarterback Riley Leonard after Daniel Jones tore his Achilles tendon Sunday in a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
San Francisco (9-4) is in third place in the NFC West, sitting just one game back of the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams (10-3), who are tied for first place.
Still, the Niners, who of course had a bye in Week 14, can move into a tie for first place if they can beat the Colts and Tennessee Titans in their next two games.
Daniel Jones Is Out For The Season, and Riley Leonard Is Stepping In
The Colts offense was ranked No. 1 in points per game for much of the year, mainly while Jones was expertly maneuvering and while likely All-Pro running back was moving to the top of the NFL’s rushing leader board.
Jones, the sixth-overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, was showing his top-10-pick prowess, even while reportedly managing a fractured fibula that he was playing on. He had a 19-8 touchdown-to-interception rate and a 68.0 completion percentage while going 8-5 after winning the QB job in training camp.
Yet after the news of Jones’ injury was confirmed Monday, it became Leonard, and not 2023 No. 2 pick Anthony Richardson, who is taking over. Richardson is on injured reserve after sustaining a fracture in his orbital bone during a “freak” pregame accident in Week 6.
Barring a free-agent signing — it could also be veteran journeyman Brett Rypien — Leonard will be making his second NFL start, and playing his fourth NFL game, against the 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 22.
Leonard was picked in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft from Notre Dame — he split his college career playing for the Fighting Irish and Duke — and went 18 for 29 for 145 yards with one interception in relief of Jones on Sunday.
The 49ers’ Road To The NFC West Title Just Got Straighter
The Niners have weathered a season’s worth of injuries and controversy already, but there is a realistic path for them claiming the division crown — and even the NFC’s top seed — in the wake of the Jones’ injury.
Three of San Francisco’s final four games are at Levi’s Stadium, starting Sunday against Tennessee.
The Titans are coming off their second win of the season Sunday in Cleveland but have an NFL-worst minus-156 point differential and are in more of a competition for the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Then the Niners will be in Indy against the Colts. San Francisco is 6-2 on the road this season, including road victories at each of its divisional rivals.
In fact, the 49ers have the best intradivisional record, 4-1, which puts them in a position to win the tiebreaker in the event of a tie with the Seahawks and Rams.
The 49ers will then close with home games against the Chicago Bears and Seahawks, the latter of which could be for the division, depending on who wins the Seahawks-Rams game on Thursday Night Football on Dec. 18.
Niners fans will be rooting for the Seahawks at Lumen Field, since that would drop LA’s divisional record to 3-2 and give San Francisco the chance to claim the division with a win over the Seahawks in Week 18 on Jan. 4.
