Quarterback

In 2024, the 49ers went 6-11, but they had the most adjusted games lost to injury of any team in the league and still finished 3rd in schedule adjusted efficiency, which is much more predictive of future winning than win/loss record. Going into 2025, it seemed clear that the 49ers would see a big increase in win total, even after some off-season losses. The 49ers still had a lot of injuries in 2025, with the 5th most adjusted games lost to injury of any team in the league, but they still managed to improve to a 12-5 record. They declined a little bit in terms of schedule adjusted efficiency, partially due to their off-season losses, ranking 8th. Their offense was great, ranking 2nd, but their defense fell to 27th, largely due to injuries. 

Their offense wasn’t immune to injuries either though. In fact, quarterback Brock Purdy missed 8 games with injury, which would normally be a death sentence for a team, but the 49ers still went 5-3 in the games Purdy missed because backup Mac Jones played almost just as well, completing 69.6% of his passes for an average of 7.44 YPA, 13 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Purdy, meanwhile, completed 69.4% of his passes for an average of 7.63 YPA, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Purdy was the better runner, averaging 4.45 YPC on 33 carries, as opposed to 1.67 YPC on 36 carries for Jones, but their passing numbers were almost identical, with Purdy’s passer rating of 100.5 (8th in the NFL) only being slightly above Jones’ 97.4 rating (13th in the NFL). 

Purdy’s numbers were similar to his career numbers, completing 67.9% of his passes for an average of 8.64 YPA, 84 touchdowns, and 37 interceptions in 45 career starts, while rushing for 3.92 YPC and 11 touchdowns on 160 carries. However, Jones’ 2025 season was a big step forward from his past performance, as he had previously completed 66.5% of his passes for 6.85 YPA, 67 touchdowns, and 50 interceptions in 57 starts in four seasons in the league prior to last season. Jones’ performance didn’t completely come out of nowhere though, as he completed 67.6% of his passes for an average of 7.30 YPA, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions as a rookie in 2021 and he is a former first round pick who has always had a high upside.

Whether Jones could be as good again this season if needed remains to be seen, but Purdy has now suffered a significant injury in three of four seasons in the league, so it is possible we will see Jones again at some point this season. The 49ers reportedly got significant trade offers for Jones this off-season and he has at least proven he is good enough to start somewhere in the NFL, but the 49ers valued him enough as a backup to turn down those offers. 

On one hand, Jones is going into the final year of his contract and will probably leave for a starting job next off-season, leaving the 49ers with nothing, but Jones also saved their season last season and there is a chance he could do it again this season, so the 49ers decided it wasn’t worth it to trade him away, even for a significant return. With Purdy and Jones, this is one of the best overall quarterback rooms in the league.

Grade: A-

Receiving Corps

On top of Brock Purdy’s injury, the 49ers were also without their two best receivers in terms of yards per route run for large chunks of the season. Tight end George Kittle, who averaged 2.15 yards per route run, was limited to 11 games, in which he had a 57/628/7 slash line, while wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, who averaged 1.85 yards per route run, was limited to 9 games, in which he had a 36/528/0 slash line. Unfortunately, Kittle also suffered a torn achilles in the playoffs, meaning he is likely to miss more time in 2026 and he probably won’t be at his best even when he does return, especially given that he is going into his age 33 season. He’s also been pretty injury prone throughout his career, missing time in seven of nine seasons in the league. 

Kittle has been one of the best tight ends in the league throughout his career though, averaging a 86/1169/8 slash line per 17 games and 2.45 yards per route run since 2018, while blocking at an above average level, so even if he is at much less than his best in 2026, he could still be an above average all-around tight end. Pearsall, on the other hand, could just be scratching the surface on his potential, as the 2024 1st round pick is only entering his age 26 season. He has yet to play a full season, also missing time after a gunshot wound as a rookie, but he isn’t necessarily injury prone and could put together an impressive season in 2026 if he plays a full season. 

In Pearsall’s absence, Jauan Jennings (55/643/9) and Kendrick Bourne (37/551/0) were their leading receivers at the wide receiver position, but they were underwhelming, averaging just 1.39 yards per route run and 1.53 yards per route run respectively. Both left as free agents this off-season and the 49ers attempted to upgrade over them by signing veterans Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency and then using a second round pick on De’Zhaun Stribling. 

Evans figures to start in two wide receiver sets opposite Pearsall. Evans is a future Hall of Famer who exceeded 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first 11 seasons in the league from 2014-2024, while averaging 2.07 yards per route run in his career, but he fell to just a 30/368/3 slash line and 1.62 yards per route run in 9 games in an injury plagued 2025 season and he is now heading into his age 33 season. He should be healthier in 2026 than 2025, but it is very possible that his best days are behind him at his age. I would guess that if both are healthy that Pearsall outproduces Evans in 2026.

Kirk, meanwhile, figures to compete with the rookie Stribling for the third receiver job. Kirk has seen better days too, averaging a 74/946/5 slash line per 17 games and 1.66 yards per route run in the first seven seasons of his career from 2018 to 2024, but he fell to just a 28/239/1 slash line in 13 games last season with 0.86 yards per route run in 2025. He is only going into his age 30 season, so he isn’t totally over the hill, but he has missed 18 games due to injury over the past three seasons combined and is unlikely to bounce back to his old form in 2026, while also being likely to miss more time due to injury. Even if he begins the season as the third receiver, Stribling should beat him out sooner rather than later.

With Kittle likely to miss time at the start of the season, the 49ers’ wide receivers figure to take on a larger target share, while backup tight ends Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell split snaps. Tonges is a 2022 undrafted free agent who caught the first 34 passes for 293 yards and 5 touchdowns of his career in Kittle’s absence last season, but he only averaged 1.27 yards per route run and isn’t much of a blocker either. Farrell, meanwhile, is a blocking specialist who has averaged just 0.88 yards per route run in his career, with just 47 catches in 83 games in five seasons in the league. Both would be significant downgrades from Kittle. With Kittle, Evans, and Kirk all being on the wrong side of 30 and having injury concerns, while Ricky Pearsall and De’Zhaun Stribling are unproven, this receiving corps has concerns, but they have upside if enough things go right.

Grade: B

Running Backs

Somehow, with all of their injuries last season, one player who stayed healthy is running back Christian McCaffrey, who has been extremely injury prone in his career, missing at least 10 games in three of the past six seasons. In his other three seasons though, he has exceeded 1,800 yards from scrimmage all three times with two both seasons above 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Last season was one of those 2000+ yard seasons, but he was not as efficient as he had been in the past. 

Much of his yardage came through the air last season, as he actually led this team in catches (102), receiving yards (924), and targets (129) due to all of the 49ers’ injuries in the receiving corps. On the ground, he only averaged 3.86 YPC, down from a career average of 4.58 YPC, while his 2.76 yards per carry after contact was down from his career average of 2.85, his carry success rate was 48.6%, down from his career average of 49.9%, and his missed tackle rate was 15.1%, down from his career average of 16.4%. 

Now going into his age 30 at a position where players typically have relatively short careers, it is very likely that McCaffrey’s best days as a runner are behind him and he could easily suffer another significant injury. McCaffrey should at least remain a useful receiver when healthy, as he has averaged 1.72 yards per route run in his career and has not really declined in that aspect, averaging 1.79 yards per route run last season, 3rd best among eligible running backs. He probably won’t be quite as involved in the passing game this season unless they have as many injuries in the receiving corps as they had last season, but he should still be one of the most productive receiving backs in the league if he stays healthy, which is a big if, given his history.

Veteran Brian Robinson, a former starter in his own right, was the 49ers’ backup running back last season. He was only an early down option, averaging just 0.38 yards per route run and totaling just a 8/25/0 slash line, but he was a solid runner, averaging 4.35 YPC, with 3.10 yards per carry after contact, a 23.9% missed tackle rate, and a 54.3% carry success rate. The 49ers could have kept him relatively cheaply this off-season to give themselves a good insurance option, with Robinson only signing in Atlanta for 2.5 million on a 1-year deal this off-season, but the 49ers opted not to bring him back and instead used a 3rd round pick on Kaelon Black, a similar early down only option. 

Black will only play a similar role to Robinson last season as long as McCaffrey is healthy, but he would likely see the lions’ share of the carries if McCaffrey misses time this season. Meanwhile, 2025 5th round pick Jordan James, who played just 3 snaps as a rookie, largely due to his own injuries, would then be the change of pace and passing down complement to Black, a role he seems decently suited for based on his college tape. This backfield would be very inexperienced if McCaffrey gets hurt and there is a good chance that happens at some point and, even if he does not get hurt, he probably won’t be what he once was, but as long as he is healthy, he will still be one of the better all-around backs in the league, even at less than his best.

Grade: B

Offensive Line

The 49ers also didn’t have many injuries on the offensive line, with the exception being the left guard position, where the 49ers didn’t have any good options anyway. That remains the case in 2026, as the starting left guard job will either go to 2025 7th round pick Connor Colby, who struggled in six starts as a rookie last season, veteran free agent addition Robert Jones, who has struggled across 30 career starts and missed all of last season with injury, or 4th round rookie Carver Willis, all of whom will likely be liabilities this season.

The rest of this offensive line should remain the same in 2026, though there are some age concerns, with left tackle Trent Williams going into his age 38 season, center Jake Brendel going into his age 34 season, and right tackle Colton McKivitz going into his age 30 season. Williams has consistently played at an All-Pro level in recent years, has yet to show any signs of slowing down, and even if he does decline in 2026, he should still remain at least an above average starting left tackle, but any significant decline from him would hurt this offensive line and, at his age, that is definitely a possibility. 

Brendel is a consistently marginal starter who would likely be a liability if he declined in 2026, which is a decent possibility. McKivitz has been an above average starter who has made every start in each of the past three seasons, after only starting five games in his first three seasons in the league combined. He could still remain an above average starter even if he declines a little and his age isn’t as much of a concern as Brendel’s age or Williams’ age.

Right guard Dominick Puni remains in his prime, as the 2024 3rd round pick is only going into his age 26 season. Puni was better as a rookie than in his second season in the league, but he has been above average in both seasons and he has some bounce back potential in his third season. If he’s closer to his rookie year form than his second year form, that would at least be a little bit of a boost for this offense and it’s possible he has his best year yet in year three, which would make him a borderline All-Pro caliber player.

The 49ers’ depth options include whichever two of the three competitors at left guard do not end up starting, as well as veteran swing tackle addition Vederian Lowe, who has mostly struggled across 25 career starts, 5th round rookie right tackle Enrique Cruz, and veteran backup center addition Brett Toth, who has struggled in six career starts. The 49ers definitely have talent upfront, but concerns include three of their starters being on the wrong side of 30, a weakness at left guard, and the potential for their starters at the other four positions besides left guard to not be as healthy as last season, when they missed just three games total. This should still be a good offensive line, but they might not be quite as good as a year ago.

Grade: B+

Edge Defenders

As I mentioned earlier, the 49ers’ defense struggled mightily last season due primarily to concerns. One of the biggest injury absences was edge defender Nick Bosa, who is an All-Pro caliber player when healthy, but tore his ACL in week 3 and missed the rest of the season. When healthy, Bosa has totaled 64.5 sacks, 110 hits, and a 16.2% pressure rate in 85 career games, while playing at a high level against the run, and he is just going into his age 29 season, so he is still in his prime if he’s healthy, but he has now torn both of his ACLs in his career and it is possible he won’t be quite as good as his normal self at least at the start of the season. Still, getting him back will be huge for this defense.

Making matters worse, Mykel Williams, who the 49ers used the 11th overall pick on in 2025 to give them a much needed complement for Bosa, also tore his ACL and had his season ended after 385 snaps in 9 games. Williams also wasn’t particularly good even when he did play, only managing 1 sack, 2 hits, and a 7.8% pressure rate and not playing good enough run defense to make up for his lack of pass rush. Normally I would say that Williams has a good chance to take a big step forward in year two, given his obvious upside, but recovery from a major injury complicates his projection.

In the absence of Bosa and Williams, the 49ers were led in edge defense snaps by Sam Okuayinonu (574 snaps). They also traded for Keion White at the trade deadline and he played 318 snaps in 9 games. Along with third round rookie Romello Height, Okuayinonu and White will provide depth behind Bosa and Williams, in a smaller role than a year ago. Okuayinonu only managed 3 sacks, 4 hits, and a 8.2% pressure rate and the 2022 undrafted free agent wasn’t much better across 451 snaps in 2024 in the first significant action of his career. Even as a reserve, Okuayinonu might be a liability.

White was at least decent last season though. He struggled earlier in the season with New England, leading to him being benched and traded, but he had 5 sacks, 10 hits, and a 10.5% pressure rate in 2024 with the Patriots, while playing solid run defense, and he is a former 2nd round pick, so he is a solid backup option. He will probably be their top reserve, while the 49ers are probably hoping the rookie Height can overtake Okuayinonu in the rotation as a rookie. Bosa returning from injury is huge for this position group and they do have other players with upside, but the other players also have downside.

Grade: B

Interior Defenders

Even with all of the injuries on the edge, the 49ers were arguably worse on the interior of the defensive line last season, as all five players who played at least 100 snaps at the interior defender position last season for the 49ers struggled. There is good news going into 2026 though. For one, all of those players who struggled last season are gone except Alfred Collins and CJ West, who were 2nd and 4th round rookies last season and have the upside to be a lot better in year two, especially Collins, who has the higher upside. It’s possible one or both of them continue struggling in 2026, but the 49ers also added veteran Osa Odighizuwa via trade and they used a 4th round pick on Gracen Halton to give them another young option with upside. 

Barring a massive improvement and breakout from one of the young players, Odighizuwa figures to be the best of the bunch, perhaps by far. Odighizuwa is at his best as a pass rusher, with 17 sacks, 59 hits, and a 10.9% pressure rate in 84 career games, but he is also an adequate run defender as well. Still in his prime in his age 28 season, I would expect more of the same from him in 2026. He significantly upgrades a position group that otherwise has upside, but also significant concerns.

Grade: C+

Linebackers

Along with Bosa, the other big loss on this defense last season was linebacker Fred Warner, who broke his leg in week 6 and missed the rest of the season. Warner has only ever missed one other game in his 8-year career, so he is as durable as they come, and he reportedly would have been ready to return if the 49ers had advanced another week into the post-season last year, so I am not concerned he won’t be 100% for the start of the season. His age is a minor concern, going into his age 30 season, but he is an All-Pro caliber linebacker when on the field and he was on his way to one of the best seasons of his career when he got hurt, so, even if he isn’t quite at his peak, he should still be a very welcome re-addition for the 49ers.

The 49ers also get a different kind of re-addition, re-signing veteran Dre Greenlaw, Warner’s former running mate, after a lone season with the Broncos. Greenlaw hasn’t been the same since tearing his achilles at the end of the 2023 season, missing all but 34 snaps in 2024 and then being limited by possibly related leg injuries in 2025, when he played just 324 snaps in 8 games, leading to his release in Denver. However, he has still shown flashes of being the above average every down linebacker he was before the injury in his limited action over the past two seasons and he is still only going into his age 29 season, so, if he can stay relatively healthy in 2025, he has the potential to play at close to his old level of play, though that is obvious not a guarantee at this point. 

Without Warner and Greenlaw, the 49ers were led in linebacker snaps by Dee Winters last season, who played 993 snaps and was decent. With Warner and Greenlaw back, the 49ers opted to trade Winters this off-season and will give the third linebacker job either to Tatum Bethune, who finished second in this position group with 498 snaps last season and was mediocre in the first significant action of the 2024 7th round pick’s career, or they will give the job to 2025 3rd round pick Nick Martin, who concerningly only played 15 snaps as a rookie, even in a position group that needed help, but who could still theoretically have untapped upside. The 49ers’ third linebacker spot is a concern, especially since there is a higher than average chance they need their third linebacker, given that their top-2 linebackers are coming off of injury, but the return of Warner and Greenlaw will be huge upgrades for this position group, even with the caveat that they are coming off of injuries taken into account.

Grade: A

Secondary

Things remain very similar in the secondary as they were a year ago, with their top-5 in terms of snaps played all being brought back for 2026. There are a couple things that will slightly be different at safety. For one, Malik Mustapha should be healthier, after missing five games at the start of the 2025 season due to a torn ACL that he suffered late in 2024. Mustapha, a 2024 4th round pick, has been a decent safety in two seasons in the league (22 starts in 28 games) and doesn’t seem to have had any long-term effects from the injury. Now another year removed from the injury and another year older, Mustapha could easily have his best season yet in his third season in the league 2026 and, even if he doesn’t, just having him in the lineup from week 1 should be a small boost for this defense.

The 49ers should also have fellow starting safety Ji’Ayir Brown in the starting lineup from week 1 this season, after weirdly benching him to start last season, even with Mustapha out. The 49ers’ starting safeties at the beginning of last season were Marques Sigle and Jason Pinnock, who both struggled. Brown, a 2023 3rd round pick, has mostly been an unspectacular starter in three seasons in the league (694 snaps per season, 31 starts in 49 career games), but he is a better option than either Sigle or Pinnock were and putting him back in the lineup after the start of last season was the smart move, one that should continue into 2026, even with Sigle, a 2025 5th round pick, still on the roster as a reserve.

At cornerback, Deommodore Lenoir (1,065 snaps), Renardo Green (815 snaps), and Upton Stout (592 snaps) should remain their top-3 cornerbacks again this season and the 49ers added to their depth by signing veterans Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs and using a 4th round pick on Ephesians Prysock. Lenoir has started 64 games in five seasons in the league, including all 49 he has played over the past three seasons, and he has mostly been decent over those three seasons. Green, a 2nd round pick in 2024, had a decent rookie year, but struggled a bit in 2025. He could easily bounce back in 2026 though. Stout, meanwhile, struggled at the start of last season, after being drafted in the 3rd round in 2025, but improved as the year went on, something that could easily continue into 2026. They are a decent, but unspectacular trio.

With the rookie Prysock likely locked into a roster spot based on where he was drafted, that probably leaves veteran backups Jones and Hobbs competing for one roster spot, even though both have extensive experience. Hobbs, a 5th round pick in 2021, has made 43 starts in five seasons in the league and has mostly been decent, but injuries have been a big problem for him, costing him 23 games in those five seasons, including 6 last season, when he also got benched and played a career low 358 snaps total. Jones, meanwhile, has started 33 of 34 games in the past two seasons, but has been a middling starter at best. Both are decent backup options, but are probably redundant on this roster. The 49ers lack high end talent in the secondary, but this is not a bad group.

Grade: B-

Kickers

The 49ers used a 3rd round pick on Jake Moody in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he proved to be a massive bust, costing the 49ers 3.71 points compared to an average kicker in 2023, 12.20 points compared to an average kicker in 2024, and then getting cut early in the 2025 season after his struggles continued. The 49ers then replaced him with veteran Eddy Piniero, who was a massive upgrade, only missing one field goal all season and accumulating 8.36 points above an average kicker. Piniero has been inconsistent in his career, but has ultimately added 11.96 points above average in 86 career games. He probably won’t be as good in 2026 as he was in 2025, but he at least gives the 49ers a relatively reliable veteran option with something of a floor.

Grade: B+

Conclusion

The 49ers won 12 games and finished 8th in schedule adjusted efficiency last season despite the 5th most adjusted games lost to injury in the league. They may be healthier in 2026, but they have a pretty injury prone roster and also a pretty old roster, ranking 2nd in average age, after finishing last season 3rd in snap adjusted age. In particular, their offense has up to seven expected starters who are going to be 30 or older this season, which is a concern, because their offense was the strength of their team last season, ranking 2nd in schedule adjusted efficiency. At least their defense, which ranked 27th largely due to their two best players missing the majority of the season, should be significantly better to compensate for any offensive decline. They should remain a playoff team with a similar win total to a year ago, even across what should be a tougher schedule, but they are not quite a top level team.

Prediction: 11-6, 3rd in NFC West