Are the 49ers favorites in the NFC West after just one week?

They were the has beens.The too olds.

Cursed by a substation and lapped twice over in their own division.Too many question marks to compete with two real Super Bowl contenders.To that, Kyle Shanahan says, “Phooey.”Just one week into the season, his San Francisco 49ers are arguably better positioned than anyone to come out on top of the division that includes the team that hoisted the last Lombardi Trophy and another that entered the season as overwhelming favorites to become the next.Suddenly, it’s the Rams and Seahawks that have some answering to do.The Niners didn’t escape their Week 1 excursion down under unscathed — rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling (ankle/deltoid) is reportedly out for at least the next month, defensive tackle Alfred Collins (knee/patellar tendon) is done for the year, and it sounds like tight end Jake Tonges (knee/MCL) may be, as well — but at least Brock Purdy did. That’s more than Seattle can say for its starting quarterback, Sam Darnold.The loss of a projected starter and former second-round pick in Collins stings, no doubt, and deals a serious blow to what may be the softest spot of San Francisco’s roster. But he’s no Myles Garrett, who will have his own knee surgery before he plays another snap.

Trent Williams was apparently so overpowering that he not only neutralized the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in their matchup but for at least the Rams’ next month of games.Look up when September ends and the 49ers could have a stranglehold on the NFC West.By then, San Francisco should be 3-0.It would require a case of jet lag for the ages to get in the way of the team we saw in Australia cruising to home wins over the Dolphins and Cardinals.Heck, they could be the only undefeated team left after three weeks.Early indications seem to be that Darnold averted the worst-case scenario after leaving the Seahawks’ season-opener on their first drive and could be back in time for the 49ers’ pivotal Week 5 showdown i...