Week 13 Buffalo Bills vs. San Fransisco 49ers prediction and fantasy outlook feat. Christian McCaffrey

When the schedule was made for the 2024 NFL season, the 49ers taking on the Bills in Week 13 would have been one that many fans might have marked in their calendars.

San Francisco made it to the Super Bowl in 2023 before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, whereas Buffalo made it all the way to the Divisional Round in the AFC before falling to the same opponents. This was supposed to be a heavyweight clash between two championship contenders.

However, only the Bills are keeping up their end of the bargain right now. They are 9-2 and need a win to keep on the heels of the Chiefs, who currently lead the AFC and have already punched in their postseason ticket. The 49ers, on the other hand, are struggling and have a 5-6 record that sees them straddling the basement of the NFC West.

Much of San Francisco's struggles this year can be traced back to the injuries they have had through the season. Running back Christian McCaffrey's Achilles issue ruled the multi-purpose offensive weapon out for the start of the season and he is unspecified for this game too. Nick Bosa and Trent Williams are two other top players out for this match, with the likes of Brandon Aiyuk having long-term injuries.

Buffalo, meanwhile, has carried on where it left off last year with quarterback Josh Allen playing at an MVP caliber even though they lost Stefon Diggs in the offseason. They will be favorites at home in Week 13 and we predict how we expect the action to unfold.

Bills vs. 49ers prediction

The Bills have lost only twice in 2024 and those defeats came in consecutive weeks to the Ravens and the Texans. Houston's defense is giving up an average of 110.8 yards on the ground and 192.3 yards through the air for a total of 303.1 yards per game.

It is remarkably close to the 49ers' defense, which is giving up 304.3 yards per match, with the rushing yards being exactly equal and passing yards of 193.5 also similar. Josh Allen and company are also coming off a bye, which could lead to a bit of rust but the 20 points they posted against the Texans should be a good marker for their offense.

Meanwhile, the 49ers posted just 10 points in last week's loss to the Packers but they should have Brock Purdy back for this clash, which should help their offense.

Green Bay shares defensive characteristics with Buffalo. Arizona, whom San Francisco has also faced once, also has similar numbers. The Bills' defense is giving up 329.1 yards per game, with passing numbers accounting for 210 of that yardage and 119.1 coming on the ground. Those statistics lie somewhere between the Packers and the Cardinals.

San Francisco scored 23 points against Arizona and 10 against Green Bay. If we assume that Brock Purdy would have led his team to another touchdown in Wisconsin had he played in Week 12, we can rationalize that to 16 points against the Packers. The average of that and their total against the Cardinals gives us 19 points. Therefore, we predict the final score to be as follows:

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Prediction: Bills (20 - 19) 49ers

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Bills vs. 49ers fantasy outlook

Given Josh Allen's propensity to pick up yards both on the ground and through the air, the quarterback should be a safe bet for fantasy football managers. Even though the Bills do not have as extensive an injury report as the 49ers, Dalton Kincaid is out and Keon Coleman is questionable for the game. Amari Cooper could be a good fantasy pick in Week 13.

For San Francisco, Brock Purdy should be worth considering since he is returning from injury. Christian McCaffrey has been getting the bulk of carries in the backfield in recent weeks from Kyle Shanahan and has undeniable talent and fantasy football owners could give him a look too.

Where to watch Bills vs. 49ers on cable

Here is how you can follow the action from this Week 13 game:

• Day & Date: Sunday, December 1, 2024
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
• Location: Orchard Park, New York
• Venue: Highmark Stadium
• TV Channel: NBC

It can also be streamed on Peacock and FuboTV.