How many 49ers deserve to make the Pro Bowl?

The San Francisco 49ers have a chance to dominate the Pro Bowl this season. At 8-1, with a dominant defense and efficient offense, there are already a couple of locks. George Kittle is going to be in the Pro Bowl. Richard Sherman is going to the Pro Bowl. We can expect a couple of members from the defensive line to go, but who? How many players on the 49ers deserve to make the Pro Bowl? Not how many players will, but deserve.

Offense

Jimmy Garoppolo is 11th in the NFC in passing yards and 10th in touchdowns. Generally speaking, you need to be among the leaders in common stats to make the Pro Bowl. Garoppolo would have to beat out a slew of quarterbacks to make it. He does have the best record in the conference, so if some players drop out, Jimmy could make it. There are also seven games left, and a lot could change.

The 49ers have a running back by committee, which was always going to make things tough for the three-headed monster to get in. Matt Breida is still sixth in the conference in rushing yards, but with him expected to miss the next couple of games, we can likely rule out Breida.

Emmanuel Sanders would need a strong second half full of touchdowns to get in. Even then, it’s a strong field of wideouts. He is the only wide receiver that has a chance. The 49ers wideouts are leading the league, but not in a stat you’d like. Three of the team’s receivers are in the top-15 in drops in the NFC.

Kittle is a lock as we said, but what about the offensive line? ESPN’s Bill Barnwell had Weston Richburg on his midseason All-Pro team. Richburg and Laken Tomlinson have played very well, specifically in pass protection. I feel like bigger names are rewarded when it comes to the voting, however.

Defense

You could make a strong argument for a player at every level to make the Pro Bowl. Starting up front, Nick Bosa and. Arik Armstead is tied for eighth in the NFC in sacks. Bosa is second in tackles for loss, while Armstead is 11th. Both of them should make it, and I’m not sure what the argument against them would be. DeForest Buckner and Dee Ford will need a big second half or a signature moment. It’s not a stretch for one of them to rack up three sacks in a game. That’s when this will get really interesting.

I’m already disappointed that Fred Warner will likely miss out. You have to rack up a ton of tackles, and Warner is currently 26th in the NFC in total tackles. Warner is a playmaker on the best defense in the NFL. He’s been doing it all season, but Monday night was a great example of Warner’s value. While he may not rack up tackles, he’s racking up stops. Three of Warner’s six tackles were stops. He broke up a pass in coverage and forced a fumble — just another night at the office for one of the better linebackers in the game.

Sherman is in. He has the name recognition, and only six defensive backs have more pass breakups. Sherman is second in the NFC in interceptions.

Despite being “good football players,” the 49ers safeties don’t have stats to warrant an argument. K’Waun Williams, on the other hand, is a stat sheet stuffer. Williams has a little bit of everything and is sixth in the entire NFL with three forced fumbles. If Williams gets a couple of more interceptions, he has a chance.

On Special Teams, Richie James and Raheem Mostert have a chance.

Who makes it?

Five. Kittle, Bosa, Armstead, Sherman. Those four should make it. I’d love for Richburg and Warner to make it, but it’ll likely be Mostert, who is currently tied for eighth in special teams tackles. I think he gets in.

Who do you think makes it?